Edinburgh landlord could have licence ripped up after eviction row

A CONTROVERSIAL landlord faces getting his licence ripped up after he evicted a family from their home.
David Love, who is a boxer as well as a landlord, is asking tenants to back him up. Picture: ContributedDavid Love, who is a boxer as well as a landlord, is asking tenants to back him up. Picture: Contributed
David Love, who is a boxer as well as a landlord, is asking tenants to back him up. Picture: Contributed

The Evening News reported in March how boxer and property magnate David Love threw out a mother-of-nine from her Drylaw flat.

Now Mr Love is appealing for his other tenants to come to his rescue for fear of being blacklisted by the council.

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'I am disappointed - I am a professional landlord,' said Mr Love, 37. 'I carry out all my business within the confines of the law.'

Mr Love said his tenants, typically families on low incomes, now face being made homeless for Christmas.

'If I was to lose my landlord license then the 15 families who rent houses from me will be facing homelessness as I will be forced to evict them all and sell the properties,' he said.

'So I ask that the licensing committee consider the wellbeing of the families that will be made homeless by this decision.

'Most of my tenants have children and are on benefits. Three of my tenants are on disability benefits. They have little chance of getting another family home in their area.'

Donna Newby came home one day back in March to find Mr Love and his associates slinging her possessions into the front garden from a second floor balcony.

Ms Newby admitted falling behind with her rent after being sent spiralling into depression by the death of her younger sister.

Claiming to own a seven-figure property portfolio, Mr Love said he was attacked by two men and a woman as he 'cleaned out' the flat.

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Mr Love has now collected testimony from his tenants in a bid to get a last-ditch reprieve from licensing officials.

'They are all really worried about the possibility of being made homeless due to this licence fiasco,' he said of his tenants.

'There are 15 families facing homelessness this Christmas because of this licence fiasco.

'Even if I deserve to lose my licence - which I don't - why should all my tenants lose their homes because of it?'

One of his disabled tenants, whose 32-year-old daughter died earlier this year, has called him twice crying, said Mr Love.

'I told her the news that I may have to evict her. She doesn't need this stress,' he added.

Mr Love's licence will be considered later this month by a meeting of the city council's licensing committee.

A council spokeswoman said: 'We can confirm that the revocation of Mr Love's registration will be considered in private by the council's licensing subcommittee.'

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A police spokeswoman confirmed officers were asked to provide details of the police response to the March eviction of Ms Newby.

'The City of Edinburgh Council requested information held by Police Scotland as part of an assessment on the suitability of a registered landlord, following an eviction in Drylaw in March 2018. The information was provided,' added the spokeswoman.

'No request has been made by the Chief Constable, or any representative of Police Scotland, to revoke the landlord's license. Matters relating to licensing are for the consideration of the council.'