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Court slaps £78,000 fines on rogue landlords
Two of Medway’s biggest landlords have been slapped with fines totalling £76,000 for renting out damp, dangerous and mouse infested properties.
Linda Noyes allowed tenants to live in what the local council calls “awful conditions” in two of her Chatham houses; one was found riddled with damp, with dangerous electrics and a mice infestation.
To make matters worse, council officers found that the conservatory roof posed a danger to the family living in the house, saying it could fall through at any moment due to its poor condition.
Another of her properties was discovered to have severe damp and mould, defective locks, structural cracks as well as an insecure first floor window which a child could easily fall out of.
Noyes did not attend Medway Magistrates’ Court when her cases were heard. She was found guilty in her absence of 13 counts of failing to address hazards contained in two Improvement Notices.
For one property she was fined £35,000, costs of £1,694.05 and a £120 victim surcharge; for the other, magistrates fined her £30,000, with costs of £1,945 and another £120 victim surcharge.
Noyes owns several properties within a portfolio of over 270 managed by her partner’s letting agency HRH Estates.
Another Medway landlord, Nitin ‘Nick’ King of Sittingbourne – who owns and manages more than 250 Medway rental properties – was heard by the same magistrates to have left tenants living in a house in Chatham which had hazardous stairs and steps, an unguarded light well and inadequate fire precautions.
He pleaded guilty to five counts of failing to comply with an Improvement Notice.
Although not part of the prosecution, council officers found the basement of another property he owned to be so damp they had to impose a prohibition order to prevent anyone from living there.
King was fined £11,000, as well as costs of £3,050 and £120 victim surcharge.
