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£1,000 fine for putting tenants lives at risk
A landlord has been fined £1,000 for keeping a property in a state that put the health of its tenants and visitors at risk.
Kieron Munnelly from Derbyshire pleaded guilty by post to failing to comply with an environmental notice put on the property in Darlington. He was fined £1,000 for the offence and ordered to pay court costs totalling £500.
At the time of the offence the property was let to a mother and her three children aged eight and six years, and two months. The home had broken heating, draughty windows, damaged light switches and disrepair to the staircase guarding.
Darlington council officers visited the property in March last year following a complaint and found that the tenant and her children had been living in the property without heating since October 2013 and was having trouble getting the landlord to carry out the repairs.
The council says it gave the landlord every opportunity to carry out the repairs before issuing the environmental notice. The works were completed in default of the notice by the council’s building services and the landlord was charged accordingly.
Darling council spokesman David Burrell says: “Action was taken against a landlord who left his tenants over winter without adequate heating. The private sector housing team works hard to protect tenants and ensure that they are able to live in a safe and warm home.”
