Landlord fined for failing to disclose identity

A landlord was successfully prosecuted by Leicester City Council for failing to disclose lawful ownership of a rental property which needed essential repairs.

The tenant had complained to the Leicester City Council following several months without hot water as the tenant was unable to contact their landlord. Following this complaint, the council visited the property and found major disrepairs at the property. The list of disrepairs included, faulty electrics, no hot water or central heating, no fire precautions or safe means of escape, damp, mould and the property was at risk of structural collapse.

The only working heat source was a single wall mounted gas fire which hadn’t been inspected by an approved gas safe engineer for over 20 years. Following inspection, the council issued an improvement Notice in accordance with The Housing act 2004 instructing the landlord to make the required changes. The landlord never responded, so the council organised the necessary repairs on the landlord's behalf costing £10,000.

The council then issued legal proceedings against the landlord to cover the cost of repairs and for failing to complete and return an ownership questionnaire. The landlord was found guilty of failure to complete the ownership documents and was fined £3,500, ordered to pay costs of £2,492 as well as the repair costs of £10,000.

This story signals hope for tenants suffering from negligent landlords who refuse to do essential repairs.

Comments

not doing repairs

louise Pepperall

Wednesday 26 January 2011 3:52:22 pm

My landlord lives in dubi so I have never met her. Therefore I work through her agents, red properties. My landlord is supposed to pay an insurance scheme tht covers repairs to boiler, providing the landlord keeps up her payments. She does keep missing them so it has created problems getting them to come out. British gas have adviced a new boiler for over 3 years but nothing has been done. The landlord know I believe. I was told off by my agents for keep calling at the office regarding repairs ie window lock, boiler and so on. As I waited over a month for the window to get mended even had to cancel an holiday, I contacted a solictor, took advice and the job was done. But I was threatened eviction, if I keep pestering them about repairs. I had no heating over december and got enforcement officer involved who got british gas to come out and do a saftey report where they stated that the boiler needed replacing, repositioning due to lack of parts and efficiency ( costs me £14 a week) for gas usage and I only have it on 4 hours a day. The boiler is 13 years old and the house is not insulated. As its converted in to 3 flats and Im in the top front one it is very cold. Which is expensive when on benefits and having to pay as you go due to landlords requirements. Therefore all these threats, dilapidated accommodation and being below 10c, it is affecting my helath (epilepsy, scoliosis sufferer) and my Gp is furious but wrote everything down even the agents name. So it is all on record. Something needs to be done to these landlords, mine is coloured along with lots of others in London I imagine.