Two men have been charged after an inner Sydney man was allegedly detained by his landlord, and assaulted by a man accompanying him, for being unable to pay rent.
Police were told the tenant, a 24-year-old man, returned to his Surry Hills home with a friend about 3.30pm on Wednesday when he was met by his landlord and another man.
Police allege the men threatened and then assaulted the tenant at the Clifton Reserve property, near Crown Street Public School, preventing him and his friend from leaving the house until he had paid an outstanding rent balance through a phone bank transfer.
The man was allegedly detained and assaulted at his Surry Hills home. Credit:Google Maps
The tenant told police he had been having financial difficulties but believed he had negotiated a payment plan with his landlord.
"The tenant had some difficulties arising from the COVID crisis and he thought there was an agreement in place," Surry Hills Police Area Command Superintendent Tim Beattie told 2GB this morning.
After they were allowed to leave, the tenant and his friend reported the incident to police.
A 56-year-old man, who police allege is the owner of the property, was arrested about 10.30pm on Wednesday and charged with detaining a person for advantage.
He was refused bail and appeared in Central Local Court on Thursday where he received conditional bail. He will next appear in court on August 13.
A 57-year-old man presented himself to Surry Hills police station about 5pm yesterday, where he was arrested and charged with take/detaining a person in company with intent to obtain advantage and occasioning actual bodily harm.
He was refused bail to appear in Central Local Court on Friday.
Mr Beattie said he understood the man was OK, adding that although the economic downturn would create financial pressures, "people have got to understand that they can't cross the line".
Chief executive of the NSW Tenants' Union Leo Patterson Ross said the alleged attack was "an appalling incident" and called on NSW Fair Trading to also investigate.
"The message must be clear that this kind of behaviour is unacceptable," he said.
"The payment of rent is a contractual obligation and in the case of disputes there is a clear process for landlords to follow through the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal and the courts. These should not be ignored.
"There is no licencing or registration scheme for landlords in NSW despite the large financial amount collected each year, or the essential service of shelter they are providing."
Mary Ward is a reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.
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2020-06-18 22:47:00Z
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