Landlord reviewed: Bernard Baidoo
Property concerned: Linford End, Harlow, Essex
Tenancy period: 2022–2026
Review written by: A family representative of the former tenant
Overall experience: Extremely poor
This review sets out our family’s experience of Bernard Baidoo as a private landlord at Linford End, Harlow.
It is written because the tenant experienced a prolonged and distressing housing situation involving damp, mould, cold conditions, poor communication, confusing conduct around “council” involvement, and ultimately a Section 21 notice after real Environmental Health involvement was sought.
This was not a small disagreement about decoration, cleanliness, or ordinary wear and tear. In our view, this was a long-running failure to properly address serious housing condition concerns over a period of years.
The tenant was Ukrainian and had limited English. She relied heavily on family support to communicate, understand her rights, and deal with the landlord and council. That context matters. When tenants have limited English, landlords need to communicate clearly, honestly, and responsibly. That was not our experience with Bernard Baidoo.
Long-running damp and mould at Linford End
The damp and mould problems at Linford End were not new. In our experience, the problems had existed for years and had been repeatedly raised.
The tenant tried to follow the advice given. She ventilated the property, cleaned mould, used a dehumidifier, used heating when it was working, and tried to manage the situation as best she could. However, the landlord’s position was repeatedly that the issue was condensation and tenant behaviour.
That explanation was not acceptable to us.
A damp and mould issue lasting years should not simply be dismissed as lifestyle or condensation without proper investigation and remedial action. The issue affected the tenant’s quality of life, caused significant worry, and placed ongoing pressure on the family.
A radiator was out of action for a period during the winter, and there were also heating/boiler issues. However, the radiator problem was not the cause of the years of damp and mould that came before it. The radiator issue lasted weeks. The damp and mould concerns had been ongoing for more than two years.
In our view, the later focus on heating repairs did not properly address the underlying housing condition issues at the property.
December 2025: Bernard Baidoo attended with Andreea Kelbezan and presented her as Harlow Council Health & Safety
One of the most serious incidents during the tenancy took place in December 2025, when Bernard Baidoo attended the property with Andreea Kelbezan of Andreea’s Abode.
This was not presented to the tenant as an ordinary cleaning visit or informal landlord inspection. Bernard Baidoo stated that she was from Harlow Council Health & Safety, and we hold evidence of this, including text messages and phone call evidence.
During the visit, Andreea Kelbezan also claimed to be from Harlow Council.
This is a very serious point.
The tenant was dealing with long-running damp and mould concerns and had limited English. Being told that someone was attending from Harlow Council / Health & Safety gave the impression that this was official council involvement or an official council inspection.
In our view, that was misleading and deeply concerning.
The advice given during that visit was also troubling. The tenant was effectively being told that the problem was condensation and lifestyle-related, including advice around ventilation and keeping windows open during cold winter conditions. When challenged, the situation became uncomfortable and confusing.
We hold a recording of the latter part of that meeting.
We later understood that Andreea Kelbezan was not a Harlow Council Environmental Health Officer. She was connected to Andreea’s Abode, not Harlow Council’s Environmental Health team.
This incident seriously damaged trust. A vulnerable tenant with limited English was led to believe that someone from Harlow Council / Health & Safety had attended, when the real Environmental Health team had not yet properly intervened.
That is not a minor misunderstanding. It goes directly to trust, pressure, and the tenant’s ability to understand who was actually involved in her housing case.
Real Harlow Council Environmental Health involvement
After the December 2025 incident, we contacted the real Environmental Health team because we no longer had confidence in what was being presented by the landlord.
A Harlow Council Environmental Health Officer visited Linford End in January 2026.
The council later confirmed that the January visit identified Category 2 hazards relating to:
- damp and mould;
- excess cold;
- personal hygiene.
That confirmation matters. It means this was not simply a tenant being unreasonable about condensation. Hazards were identified by Environmental Health.
During the visit, the officer discussed a number of concerns and potential remedial issues, including ventilation/extraction and other property condition matters. This again supports our view that the problem was not simply one faulty radiator or a short-term heating issue.
Despite hazards being identified, the tenant was left without clear written findings, without proper next steps, and without meaningful follow-up. Repeated emails and chasers to the council were not properly answered. Harlow Council later acknowledged that emails were received but not responded to due to officer fault.
That failure by the council is being taken forward separately. However, the council’s poor handling does not remove the landlord’s role in the underlying condition of the property or the way the situation developed.
Section 21 notice after real Environmental Health involvement
One of the most serious parts of this experience is that a Section 21 notice was issued after the real Environmental Health process was triggered.
Our position is that the Section 21 notice was retaliatory and was issued as a direct result of us involving the real Environmental Health team.
That is a very serious concern.
Tenants should not feel that asking the council for help with damp, mould, cold conditions, or disrepair will result in them losing their home.
The landlord had been aware of the problems for a long time. Instead of the matter being properly resolved, the family ended up facing a no-fault eviction process after proper Environmental Health involvement was sought.
The timing and context caused enormous distress. The tenant had already dealt with poor conditions for years, had limited English, and was relying on family support to navigate the situation. The practical result was that she lost confidence that the property issues would ever be properly dealt with and ultimately left the property.
The property issues were not resolved in a satisfactory way
From our perspective, the underlying problems at Linford End were never dealt with properly.
The landlord’s position appeared to focus heavily on condensation, lifestyle, and heating/ventilation behaviour. We do not accept that this properly explains the situation.
The damp and mould issues had existed for years. A short-term radiator issue cannot explain a multi-year history of damp and mould. Advice about ventilation does not remove the landlord’s responsibility to properly investigate and address property-side issues.
During the real Environmental Health involvement, wider concerns were discussed, including ventilation and other property condition matters. The council later confirmed that Category 2 hazards existed.
In our view, that should have led to clear written findings, clear action, and clear follow-up. Instead, the tenant experienced confusion, silence, and then a Section 21 notice.
Why this matters for future tenants
A landlord should be judged not only by whether rent is collected, but by how they respond when serious housing condition issues are raised.
In our experience with Bernard Baidoo:
- damp and mould issues were raised over a prolonged period;
- the issue was repeatedly treated as condensation/lifestyle-related;
- the tenant was expected to keep managing the symptoms rather than seeing the root cause properly resolved;
- Bernard Baidoo attended in December 2025 with Andreea Kelbezan of Andreea’s Abode and presented her as Harlow Council Health & Safety;
- Andreea Kelbezan claimed during the visit that she was from Harlow Council;
- we hold text messages, phone call evidence, and a recording relating to this incident;
- real Harlow Council Environmental Health involvement later confirmed hazards at the property;
- after real Environmental Health became involved, a Section 21 notice was issued;
- our position is that the Section 21 notice was retaliatory and directly followed the tenant seeking proper council involvement;
- the tenant was placed under significant distress and uncertainty and ultimately left her home.
For any prospective tenant considering renting from Bernard Baidoo, our advice is to be extremely careful.
Keep everything in writing. Photograph everything. Keep copies of all reports, text messages, emails, and phone call records. If damp, mould, cold conditions, heating, ventilation, bathroom, or disrepair issues arise, get independent advice early. Do not rely only on verbal assurances.
Our view of Bernard Baidoo as a landlord
Based on our family’s experience, we would not recommend Bernard Baidoo as a landlord.
In our view, the handling of the damp and mould situation at Linford End was poor, prolonged, and unacceptable. The tenant experienced years of issues, and when proper Environmental Health involvement was eventually sought, the situation escalated rather than improved.
The December 2025 incident involving Andreea Kelbezan of Andreea’s Abode was especially concerning because Bernard Baidoo presented her as Harlow Council Health & Safety, and she claimed to be from Harlow Council. We hold evidence relating to that point.
The most troubling aspect is that, in our view, the Section 21 notice directly followed the tenant seeking real council involvement. Whether Bernard Baidoo would describe that differently is for him to explain, but from the tenant’s perspective, the timing and context were clear and deeply distressing.
A good landlord should take housing condition concerns seriously, especially where damp, mould, cold conditions, and vulnerable tenants are involved. A good landlord should communicate clearly, arrange proper remedial action, and avoid making tenants feel punished for asking for help.
That was not our experience here.
Evidence and ongoing action
This review is based on the tenant’s direct experience, family correspondence, the tenancy history, text messages, phone call evidence, a recording of the latter part of the December 2025 meeting, Environmental Health involvement, and complaint correspondence with Harlow Council.
Harlow Council later confirmed that Category 2 hazards were identified during its Environmental Health process. The council also acknowledged that emails were received but not responded to due to officer fault.
We are pursuing further disclosure through a Subject Access Request and preparing escalation to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman regarding Harlow Council’s handling of the Environmental Health case and complaint process.
Right of reply
If Bernard Baidoo, Andreea Kelbezan, or Andreea’s Abode dispute any part of this review, they are welcome to provide a written response for publication alongside it.
We reserve the right to update this review as further records are received, including documents disclosed through the Subject Access Request and any findings from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.