Sheffield landlord Zobia Rafique has been compensated to the tune of £100,000 by a tenant action group after it apologised for an unlawful campaign against her.

Mrs Rafique has been a director of Century One Estates Limited since its incorporation in 2018. The company, which has only two employees, lets rooms across Sheffield.

In 2021 it fell into dispute with a would-be tenant, Aya Hoez, over return of a £300 deposit.

Hoez turned to The Association of Community Organisations for Reform Now, ACORN, a tenant action group which initiated a series of demonstrations against Mrs Rafique. These included gatherings of slogan-shouting, placard-carrying Hoez supporters and an abusive social media campaign.

Mrs Rafique felt threatened, harassed and defamed and that her data protection rights has been breached. She began legal action.

The case has now been settled with Acorn agreeing to pay Mrs Rafique substantial damages and costs amounting, according to the Yorkshire Post, to £100,000. ACORN has also apologised for its actions.

Mrs Rafique was represented by JMW Solicitors. The firm told the Yorkshire Post that the campaign against its client had involved noisy demonstrations as well as publication of highly defamatory and incorrect claims. It had continued for four months.

‘Unfortunately, despite being in the wrong in their allegations against Mrs Rafique, the tenant and ACORN embarked upon a campaign of harassment against her. Clearly, there is a place for legal and legitimate campaigning, but the tenant’s and ACORN’s conduct seriously crossed the line’, a JMW spokesperson told the newspaper.