Tenants’ union calls on council to strike off guilty Leith landlords

Living Rent Leith members Amparo Gimenez Rios and Fengxia (Sia) Wang gave testimony yesterday at the city chambers detailing the misconduct and abuse they have faced and questioned why the council have not yet struck off the guilty pair.

The landlords in question, Mr Abraham Adeyemi and Mr Rana Islam, were found to have failed to protect their tenants’ deposits and were fined £2,400 and £1,115, respectively, yet both remain on the landlord register.

In September of this year, Mr Adeyemi was fined the maximum amount across two separate cases. The Tribunal also found that he had presented “a version of events […] which was clearly lacking in credibility and was not true” after claiming to have been a live-in landlord.

The tenants further allege repeated misconduct and abuse that included repeatedly showing up at Amparo’s home unannounced and using threatening and abusive language. Mr Adeyemi’s misconduct was described by the Tribunal as having breached regulations at “the highest end of the scale” and as “a deliberate attempt to avoid his statutory responsibilities”.

In March of this year, Mr Islam was fined by the tribunal after he failed to return Ms Wang’s deposit. It was noted by the tribunal that he “did not appear to have a good grasp of his legal responsibilities as a landlord” and that he “appeared to be unclear of the purpose of the tenancy deposit”.

Living Rent says the behaviour of both landlords highlights the need for stricter monitoring of landlords in the city. They say that the lack of enforcement from the council leaves landlords feeling like they can do whatever they want and allows vulnerable tenants to be targeted.

The tenants’ union has compiled a ‘Rogue Landlord Dossier’, which collects together many similar cases and sets out the systemic failure of the council to deal with this issue. 

It has called on the City of Edinburgh Council to use its powers to strike off landlords whose tribunal cases clearly document misconduct. 

Amparo Gimenez Rios, Living Rent Leith, said: “For over two years, I’ve lived under increasing stress and have been consistently disrespected by Mr Abraham Adeyemi who fails to see me as an independent tenant.

“As someone who is autistic and lives with a chronic disability, his actions have had a deep impact on me. Every unexpected email, visit, or threat triggered anxiety and physical symptoms, worsening my chronic migraine condition and making my life far more difficult. My home, the one place that should feel safe, became a constant source of fear and uncertainty.

“I relied on Universal Credit as my only income, and he twice threatened to take money straight from it for illegal rent increases, knowing full well how vulnerable I was and how much I depended on those payments.

“Each incident added layers of exhaustion and emotional strain. Instead of being able to focus on my health and studies, I had to constantly defend my right to live safely. 

“All I’ve ever asked for is fairness, respect, and to be treated as an equal tenant. I hope my experience helps raise awareness of how landlord harassment especially affects disabled and neurodivergent tenants, and why stronger protections and accountability are so important.”

Fengxia (Sia) Wang, Living Rent Leith, added: “My previous landlord, Rana Islam, made my life miserable, and the slow tribunal process prolonged my stress. 

“Even after I won the case, I didn’t receive the money owed to me until 14 months after I first applied because the tribunal can’t do anything to enforce the fines they give out

“What’s the point of a tribunal if tenants still have to fight on their own, even after they win the case? It’s ridiculous!

“This experience opened my eyes to how vulnerable tenants really are — especially international students and young people like me. We follow the law. We do everything right. But when landlords break the rules, the system doesn’t protect us. Those unlawful landlords can just get rid of their responsibilities easily.

“We cannot rely on luck, or slow systems in Scotland. We must rely on each other.”

Georgia Dodsworth, Living Rent Leith chair, said: “Edinburgh council must strike landlords who don’t obey the rules off the register. While Mr Adeyemi and Mr Islam and countless other landlords continue to operate, we are at serious risk.

“By failing to take proper action, the council has made it clear that they don’t take our safety and wellbeing seriously. The council are continuing to abandon us in the fight for justice against landlords that exploit us. 

“Regulations mean nothing if they are not properly enforced and landlords are allowed to get away scot free. Fines that cannot be enforced are a pathetic attempt at appeasement and we won’t accept it any longer.”