Another landlord has been handed a substantial fine after refusing to adhere to an improvement notice on his property.
Sunderland Magistrates’ Court issued a fine to Joseph Benedikt, after repeatedly refusing to carry out improvements on his cold and damp property in Chardmore Road, London.
Fines
Benedikt was given a fine of £2,000, told to pay £998 in costs and a £200 victim surcharge as a result of his negligence.
This hearing followed a previous guilty plea to further non-compliance with an Improvement Notice, relating to a different property in Corporation Road, Hendon, Sunderland. Mr Benedikt left the property in a poor state of repair, despite receiving a schedule of works from Sunderland City Council’s private housing team.
The property was found to have:
- structural damage
- inadequate heating
- no insulation
- damp
- mould
As a result, conditions in the property were found to pose a serious health risk to the pregnant teen and her two children residing there. Despite this, Benedikt refused to bring the property up to acceptable standards.
Rogue landlord fined for health and safety breach
Enforcement
Councillor Graeme Miller observed, ‘this prosecution is a demonstration of our willingness to take enforcement action against landlords whose rental properties fail to meet the required standards and a reminder of what can happen if they fail to meet their legal responsibilities.’[1]
‘It also shows what an important part the selective licensing scheme played in beginning the continuing process to improve private rented properties in Hendon, Miller added.[1]
Concluding, he said, ‘we always strive to work in partnership with private landlords and encourage them to join the accredited landlords’ scheme. We can achieve so much more by providing people with standards of rented accommodation they deserve and landlords with the type of tenants who will respect their properties and contribute to the communities that they’re living in.’[1]
[1] https://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/7/landlord-who-put-young-familys-health-and-safety-at-risk-fined