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Landlord fined heavily for ignoring repair requests
This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.
A rogue landlord has been fined nearly £18,000 and given a criminal record after refusing to carry out renovations to his rental property.
Mr Paul Fenton, of Radlett, Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty to offences under the Housing Act 2006 at Willesden Magistrates Court. Fenton failed to explain how his rental property, that he was letting for £1,000 pcm, had fallen into such a state of disrepair.
Poor conditions
The property was discovered to have severe damp and mould growth, which were so bad that the chair of magistrates slammed the abode as uninhabitable. Other problems included a leaking boiler and rotting front door.
Brent Council received a complaint from the tenant of the property regarding its condition. As a result, enforcement officers inspected the flat in August 2015 and found a whole host of hazards. Fenton was subsequently issued with a formal demand from the council, permitting him to repair all damages within 56 days.
However, when council officers returned to the flat in both January and May this year, they found that repairs had not been carried out.
Mr Fenton, who has owned the property since 1990, claimed that he had not been into the flat for a number of years. He falsely assumed that the tenants were pleased, as they had not asked him for repairs.
Landlord fined heavily for ignoring repair requests
Fines
Despite Fenton claiming he was unsure of his income, he was eventually fined £16,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,573 and a victim surcharge of £120.
Councillor Harbl Farah, Brent Cabinet Member for Housing, noted, ‘the dreadful conditions found at this flat reaffirm once again how important our private sector licensing scheme is. Slumlords like Mr Fenton should not be allowed to get away with treating their tenants like this. Brent is committed to supporting tenants by prosecuting unscrupulous landlords who are happy to under maintain and over crowd their properties.’[1]
[1] http://www.propertyreporter.co.uk/landlords/heavy-fine-for-landlord-who-ignored-pleas-for-repairs.html
