A Sheffield landlord, Mrs Zobia Rafique, has settled her legal case for harassment, defamation and breach of data rights against pressure group The Association of Community Organisations for Reform Now (ACORN). 

What was initially a low-level disagreement with a tenant, Ms Aya Hoez, over the return of a £300 deposit, turned into a campaign of harassment by ACORN against Mrs Rafique after the tenant, an ACORN member, got the pressure group involved. 

The campaign against Mrs Rafique by ACORN members included marching, filming, and engaging in confrontation with Mrs Rafique at her home, holding placards bearing defamatory statements, blogging and posting abusive statements on social media, threatening Mrs Rafique using a loud hailer, approaching and abusing Mrs Rafique, and holding a “public meeting” about Mrs Rafique outside Sheffield Town Hall. 

Mrs Rafique and her business Century One Estates were forced to issue legal proceedings against ACORN and Ms Hoez. Mrs Rafique and Century One Estates settled their claim against ACORN. Mrs Rafique was forced to obtain an injunction and other orders against Ms Hoez. 

As part of the settlement, ACORN has paid a substantial amount in costs and damages to Mrs Rafique and Century One Estates, in addition to issuing two written apologies and providing an agreement to never repeat the conduct again.