Landlord fined £13,500 because of squalid flats

A landlord has been fined £13,500 because of the squalid conditions of his rental property.

Environmental health officers from Rotherham council visited his converted house in December 2013 after a tenant complained that she did not have access to hot water or central heating as the landlord had disconnected the boiler.

The officers found numerous contraventions to the Housing Act 2004 and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006, including a complete absence of working fire detection, poorly or un-maintained fire fighting equipment, poor quality conversion work, un-maintained gas and electrical systems with the necessary test certificates, plus severe damp and black mould.

Due to the nature of the defects the environmental health officers immediately took action and all tenants were re-housed by the authority.

Mohammed Tariq, the landlord, claimed to a court in Rotherham that he was not an experienced landlord. Having purchased the premises in April 2011 he could not find tenants, so the property remained empty for 18 months.

Then Tariq allegedly leased the entire property to another man on a five-year lease but due to non-payment of rent the property was eventually returned to him. He claims to be unaware of his responsibilities operating an HMO.

The magistrates imposed fines totalling £13,500 and ordered Tariq to pay the council's costs of £950, with a victim surcharge of £120.