A HOUSING campaigner accused landlord Dave Wells of “intimidation” after he made an official complaint about her property.

Lisa Northover received a Bournemouth Council letter saying it was investigating a claim her home is being used as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) without planning permission.

A planning officer from the council then visited her property and confirmed it is her family home, and not a HMO.

Mum-of-four Mrs Northover had reported one of Mr Wells’ properties for the same offence and is campaigning for more inspections of his Boscombe HMOs.

The Echo contacted Dave Wells and he admitted making the complaint but “totally refuted” any suggestion of intimidation.

Mrs Northover, a former councillor from Boscombe, said: “He knows I don’t run a bedsit house - so why did he do it?

“He knows perfectly well my house is lived in by myself and my children. I think it is intimidation.

“It’s strange that after I made a complaint about one of his properties not being authorised that I should get reported.

“I know that he has got a bit of a bee in his bonnet - it’s a nuisance complaint.”

Mrs Northover has been going into Dave Wells Properties HMOs, with the permission of tenants, and then sending on reports of faults to the council.

And she has been asking the council to take action over an unauthorised Dave Wells HMO on St Clement’s Road.

Dave Wells Properties has “2,700 units of accommodation” according to council figures.

The firm was the subject of a Channel 4 expose at Christmas that uncovered damp and dirty living conditions in some of its firm’s Boscombe bedsits.

Dave Wells said: “It’s in the public interest and the interest of tenants that the right authorities are aware of anyone who may be operating HMOs without proper permission.”

“I refute totally any suggestion that this is a case of intimidation.

“In submitting a concern to the council I am exercising my right, as any other person can, to draw matters I feel are of public interest to the authorities.”