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Ealing Council prosecutes landlords over illegal and dangerous housing (26 January 2016)

Date: 26/01/2016
Duncan Lewis, Housing Solicitors, Ealing Council prosecutes landlords over illegal and dangerous housing

Ealing Council has prosecuted two landlords for ailing to comply with notices and orders to make safe illegal private rented properties which were dangerous.

Ahdil Saddiq – also known as Mohammed Jameel Choudhry and Jameel M Choudhry – was prosecuted for failing to comply with a Prohibition Order and Demolition Order served by Ealing Council’s HMO (houses of multiple occupation) team, after a damp, dangerous and illegal outhouse was discovered at the rear of a property at 5 Heathway, The Common in Southall, Middlesex.

When council officers inspected the outhouse in 2012 they found it mouldy, damp and cold, as well as having numerous electrical and fire safety hazards.

A Prohibition Order was issued in October 2012 banning anyone from living or sleeping on the premises. However, subsequent inspections found that the landlord was ignoring the Order and that the outhouse was still tenanted.

In January 2014, the council served a Demolition Order requiring the outhouse to be torn down. However, when Mr Saddiq also ignored this, the council stepped in and demolished the outhouse.

On Thursday, 7 January 2016, Saddiq appeared before Ealing Magistrates’ Court and was found guilty of six charges relating to his failure to comply with the Prohibition and Demolition Orders. He was fined £560, with costs of £2,616.

Saddiq has been ordered to pay the council’s demolition costs of approximately £18,000 or a charge will be placed against his property.

In a second case, Jasjeet Singh Punny was prosecuted for failing to comply with an improvement notice on his property at 12 Oakleigh Court, Southall.
Punny was renting the property to a mother and her young child, who suffered from asthma.

When housing officers inspected the property, they found the walls covered with mould. A large sliding door was also not fixed to the wall and kitchen cabinets were also not secured properly to the wall.

The council issued an improvement notice in September 2014, ordering Punny to make improvements. However, he ignored all attempts by the officers to contact him.

On 7 January 2016, Punny appeared before Ealing Magistrates’ Court, where he was found guilty of failing to comply with the notice and ordered to pay a fine and council costs totalling £4,964.49.

After the hearing, Ealing Council’s Cabinet Member for safety, culture and community services, Councillor Ranjit Dheer, said:

“There is no place in this borough for slum landlords who are willing to put their tenants’ health and safety at risk for pure profit.

“Ealing Council is working hard to make sure that dangerous landlords feel the full weight of our powers – and I am delighted to see these two selfish and irresponsible individuals found guilty.”

Duncan Lewis Housing Solicitors

Duncan Lewis housing solicitors are one of the UK’s leading providers of Legal Aid housing advice and can advise private sector rental tenants and social housing tenants on a wide range of housing matters, including:

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For expert legal advice on housing law, call Duncan Lewis housing solicitors on 0333 772 0409.


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