Landlord prosecuted after letting unsafe housing
15 Nov 2011
A landlord has been fined and prosecuted after being found guilty
of letting out a student house that was deemed
not fit to live in.
JL Homes Ltd of Southsea had been taking rent from
students for the property in Portsea, but Portsmouth City Council
began to receive complaints, About My Area reports.
After an investigation, it discovered that one bedroom was too
small to be legally described as sleeping quarters, while three
bedsit rooms were also not spacious enough to use for sleeping and
cooking.
Despite being warned on two separate occasions not to let the house
again until it had been renovated, the landlord continued to do
so.
Eventually, Portsmouth City Council prosecuted and JL Homes Ltd was
found guilty of declining to comply with two housing prohibition
orders and failing to provide the council with a copy of the
tenancy
agreement.
The company was fined almost GBP 12,000.
Council housing standards officer Kirsty Mallinson said: "In this
case the landlords did not provide a suitable explanation of why
they failed to comply with the orders, which gave us no alternative
but to prosecute."
"By taking this action, it places all landlords on notice. Make
sure your properties are in good order or we will take whatever
action is necessary," added councillor Steven Wylie.
In October, millionaire landlord Israr Fazal, 54, was jailed for
three months for housing tenants in "slum conditions" in
Manchester.
Up to 12 families were living in properties that had damaged
electricity meters, exposed wires, no fire alarms and blocked fire
escapes, according to the Telegraph.
Prosecuting officials said he had put "personal financial gain
before the safety of these tenants".
