Legal News
Cardiff private sector landlords prosecuted for breaches of Housing Act (22 March 2017)
Date: 22/03/2017
City of Cardiff Council has prosecuted two private sector landlords for offences under the Housing Act 2004.
Susu Properties Ltd was fined £32,134 and ordered to pay costs of £260 and a victim surcharge of £170, after pleading guilty to six offences relating to 23 Neville Street, Riverside in Cardiff.
The family company – represented by director Mohammed Arshad – pleaded guilty to charges of failing to comply with an improvement notice, failure to display manager’s details in the common area, failure to take safety measures, failure to maintain the gas and electricity supplies to the premises, failure to maintain the common parts and failure to maintain the living accommodation.
In a separate case, Shebul Miah pleaded guilty to one offence of failing to comply with an improvement notice in relation to 20 Llanbradach Street, Grangetown in Cardiff.
In November 2015, council officers received a complaint from the tenant regarding damp, leaking radiators, dirty carpets and broken kitchen cupboards.
An inspection identified a range of other issues at the property, including a lack of fire safety measures, lack of security, defective windows and missing balusters (spindle or stair stick) to the stairs.
Despite an informal notice being sent to Miah requiring works to be completed by 21 January 2016, several subsequent inspections revealed that this had not been done.
A formal notice was served on 9 May 2016, but an inspection on 9 September that year revealed that only six of 22 items on the schedule of works had been completed.
Miah was fined £6000, ordered to pay costs of £398 and a victim surcharge of £170.
Cabinet Member for Skills, Democracy and Engagement, Councillor Dan De’Ath, said:
“The message these prosecutions and significant fines sends to rogue landlords is loud and clear – the council will prosecute you if you continue to put the health, safety and security of tenants at risk by ignoring regulations.”
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