Ex-Tory Candidate Fined over Rental Property
An ex-Tory candidate who stood in the last general election was left red-faced after a court ruled that he had rented out a substandard property.
Kamran Ghafoor, who stood for OldhamWest and Royton in 2010, was ordered to pay more than £2,500 for his misdemeanors.
Campaign
Mr Ghafoor recently set up the Heathershaw Landlords Association, in order to campaign against a local licensing scheme.
However, he has now been fined after tenants in one of his properties protested about broken central heating, faulty electrical sockets and dangerous cooker/gas fire controls.
Fines
Ghafoor was fined £1,500 for failing to solve the problems, despite a series of reminders. In addition, he has been ordered to pay costs of £1,068 to Oldham Council, after pleading guilty at Oldham Magistrates Court to committing offences under section 30 of the Housing Act 2004.[1]
Councillor Dave Hibbert, cabinet member for housing, transport and regeneration, explained: “The council gave this landlord plenty of opportunities to put the faults right in his property but he failed to do so. This could have put his tenants at risk. All landlords must ensure that the properties they rent out are safe and healthy to live in.”[1]
[1] http://www.landlordtoday.co.uk/news_features/Ex-Tory-candidate-fined-after-tenants-complaints