Chester Hudson, 59, staked out builder Neil Baker and hid on street corners after claiming he gave him a false address of Oaks Way in Langney.

Eastbourne County Court heard how he took the drastic action after Mr Baker failed to keep up payments on the lock-up and sub-let it to a man called Arnie Palmer.

Mr Hudson eventually traced Mr Baker to his town centre flat in Langney Road, slapped him with a court summons and successfully sued him for the unpaid rent.

He told the court, "It was just a landlord's nightmare so I finally staked out Mr Baker's van and spent some time hiding on street corners until I saw him one day.

"He came across the road to his van one morning and I got in the passenger side and said, 'I would like my key and rent please'.

"He said, 'I told you I don't owe you any money, Arnie's got the key, get the rent from him'.

"He also said, 'You won't find out where I live because I don't appear on any records', so I had to stake Mr Baker out again.

"When he came home from work one day I watched to see which house he went into and which light came on in which flat.

"A few minutes later I called at the door so I arrived at an address, a summons and here (court]."

The court heard that Mr Baker made an oral agreement with Mr Hudson to rent a garage in Commercial Road between November 2005 and February this year — for £16 a week.

Mr Hudson told the court, "The payments were erratic and, essentially, what was happening was Mr Baker would pay me as and when he was in funds.

"There was no discussion at all about him sharing. I would not have agreed to it if he had suggested it."

Mr Baker, 38, told the court some of the rent payments were made in cash and that Mr Hudson agreed to Mr Palmer using the garage.

He said, "He forced his way into my van in the town centre, grabbed my arm and refused to get out until I paid him cash.

"I said I didn't and that I moved out some time ago. He said, 'Well it's still your garage until you give me notice'. I said we never had a contract."

But Mr Hudson added, "Mr Baker has never paid me in cash, he's just a complete fantasist, he's making all this up."

District Judge Lynda Nightingale ruled in Mr Hudson's favour and ordered Mr Baker to pay him £745.

She said, "I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that Mr Hudson's account is accurate in relation to the payments that were made by Mr Baker by cheque. No cash payments were made.

"I'm also satisfied that Mr Hudson did not give consent to Mr Palmer to take over the garage.

"I find therefore that Mr Baker is liable for the rent up until when Mr Hudson was able to regain possession.

"He had to do this because Mr Baker had not returned the key to him."