Landlord ordered to pay £10,007 for unsafe property
A Birmingham landlord has been ordered to pay more than £10,000 after being found guilty of failing to comply with an improvement notice, at Birmingham Magistrates Court today (7 August 2017).
Majid Ali, 35, of Westridge Road, Moseley, pleaded not guilty at an earlier hearing (25 May 2017) to not carrying out works at a rental property in Tiverton Road, Selly Oak, as set out in an improvement notice served under the Housing Act 2004.
He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £5,837.35p in costs plus a £170 victim surcharge - totalling £10,007.
Birmingham City Council brought the prosecution after housing officers visited the property - home to three students - on 13 July 2016 and served Ali with an improvement notice on 25 August 2016, after significant hazards were found at the property. Officers returned to the address on 16 November 2016, when it was discovered the improvement notice had not been complied with.
These included no mains-powered or linked smoke detectors were installed, and neither had any fire doors. Damp and mould growth was also found throughout the property, due to inadequate heating and thermal insulation.
Robert James, director of housing at Birmingham City Council, said: “Ali displayed a total disregard for the health and safety of the occupants and the property was in a poor condition with inadequate fire precautions. I am glad that we have been able to bring this landlord to justice.”
The improvement notice remains in place and housing officers are due to reinspect the premises at a later date.
ENDS
