A MAN who was left sleeping in his car after being unlawfully evicted could be owed 'a sizeable' sum.

Cherwell District Council said the victim returned home from work to find the locks had been changed and his landlord was not answering his calls.

Soon after, he found his possessions piled up on the garden patio and contact the council for advice.

After a council investigation, the landlord Ali Murat Terzi was found to have arranged for new tenants to move in despite the original tenant still living at the address.

Cherwell District Council successfully prosecuted the landlord, from Abingdon, at Oxford Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

He pleaded guilty to unlawful eviction and was ordered to pay £1,550 in costs, a fine and a victim surcharge.

The council said the victim can now apply for a rental repayment order and could be refunded up to a year's worth of rent.

Cherwell District Council lead member for housing John Donaldson said: "People renting privately in our district are entitled to a professional service from their landlords and we are here to make sure they do that.

"When relationships between landlords and tenants break down we can provide both parties with information on the options open to them and the correct steps to take.

"In this case, the situation could have been averted if the landlord had picked up the phone to seek guidance on the correct way to regain possession of his property.

"Whilst we are confident that the overwhelming majority of landlords in our district are trustworthy and professional, this ruling stands as a warning to anyone considering cutting corners and shirking their responsibilities to tenants.

Landlords can only evict tenants who have assured shorthold tenancies, with permission from the courts.