A brace of cases involving rogue letting agents and landlords have led to hefty fines for those culpable.
Two unscrupulous landlords in Reading have been fined nearly £9,000 for poor housing standards and a disregard for the welfare of their tenants.
Hazards
Broken toilets and inaccessible fire escapes were amongst the hazards found by council officers when they visited the property in Oxford Road last summer.
More health and safety hazards identified in the rental property included:
- faulty fire alarms
- damaged plug sockets
- dangerous windows
The managers of the property, Abdullah Yaqubi and Said Kamel Hashemi, both admitted 14 offences at Reading Magistrates Court and were told to pay £8,800 in fines.
Councillor Richard Davies, Reading’s lead member for housing, noted: ‘HMOs are an important part of the housing market in Reading but they are subject to certain regulations for the safety and comfort of tenants.’[1]
‘Most landlords abide by these rules but those who do not and fail to respond to contact by the Council’s officers can expect to face the consequences. This is a good result for Reading’s Private Sector Housing and Legal teams and I hope it makes other property managers and landlords who are tempted to flout the rules sit up and take note,’ he added.[1]
Brace of rogue agents and landlords fined
Debts
Meanwhile, a convicted letting agent in Surrey who used his client’s cash to cover his business debts has been told to pay £25,000 in compensation to his victims.
Mr Chandra Patel, who was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment in April 2016, took rent and deposit payments which were held in a trust, while operating as Giraffe Properties Limited. Patel took £28,000 from this fund.
Over a dozen landlords were owed money by Mr Patel when the firm ceased trading. Some landlords were left to reimburse their tenants using their own funds.
An application made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 for Confiscation and Compensation, saw Mr Patel appear before Kingston Crown Court earlier this month. Here, he was determined to compensate his victims and was told to do so within three months.
A council spokesperson said: ‘We have begun the process of contacting the landlords affected by Mr Patel’s illegal activities so that they can duly compensated.’[1]
[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2017/2/rogue-landlords-handed-a-hefty-fine