Evict a rogue Landlord - Shelter...

Yorkie1

York LL fined £10K plus costs:

http://www.yorkpress.co.uk/news/9321000.Landlord_is_fined___10k_over_licence/

jimquk

"Slum landlords who lived a life of luxury while the tenants faced squalor have been jailed.

Israr Fazal and his son, Shahbaz, were jailed for three months for renting out 'death trap' flats to immigrant families.

They rented out six filthy, dangerous flats above their cash-and-carry shop on Stockport Road in Longsight for £100-a-week each. At the same time Israr Fazal, 54, boasted a £1.3m mansion in Hale Barns and 31-year-old Shahbaz Fazal was living in nearby Hale.

Following a complaint about their flats, investigators found un-lit stairways without hand-rails, exposed meters, no fire doors, no emergency lighting and an emergency exit was hidden by a ceiling-high pile of old mattresses, bin bags and debris.

Anyone who managed to get through the fire exit onto a flat roof would have encountered another obstacle – another pile of old mattresses.

Investigators also found an electricity meter with crossed wires and no fire alarm system.

The flats themselves were ‘filthy and uninhabitable’, according to prosecutors.

For months the landlords ignored prohibition notices which ordered them to stop using the shop and renting the flats until they were made safe. They also tried to give investigators the slip with a series of false names and different addresses.

Both men appeared shocked as Judge Roger Thomas jailed them for three months each at Manchester crown court, telling them: “While you were living in the lap of luxury, people you were responsible for were living in almost slum conditions.”

They were also ordered to pay the prosecution costs incurred by the council and fire service totalling £18,990. Israr Fazal has now put his home in Brooks Drive, purchased for £1.3m in 2009, up for sale to pay the costs.

Israr Fazal had a series of health problems including diabetes and was receiving sickness benefit, said Mr Ford. Shahbaz Fazal is living with his wife and two children in Hale Road although as a tenant, according to Mr Mark Ford, defending. He had been living on benefits, and was working as a manager for Dominoes Pizzas, the court heard.

Shahbaz Fazal, who has a previous conviction for fly-tipping, admitted four Housing Act offences and nine breaches of fire regulations. His father admitted breaching six breaches of fire regulations. The court heard he was jailed for 18 months in 2001 for kidnap, false imprisonment and threats to kill. In 1997, he was handed a suspended prison sentence for trading while bankrupt.

Earlier this year Israr Fazal was fined for food hygiene breaches at a cash-and-carry shop although he never paid up.

Councillor Paul Andrews, executive member for neighbourhood services, said: “The severity of this sentence reflects the seriousness of the failings at the Fazal properties.

“They were nothing more than slums that put their tenants’ lives at risk and landlords who think they can get away with this will not be tolerated.”

Councillor Paul Andrews, executive member for neighbourhood services, said: “The severity of this sentence reflects the seriousness of the failings at the Fazal properties. The City Council has worked closely with the Fire Service to bring this father and son team to Court and it is a relief that justice has been done.

“Their properties on Stockport Road were nothing more than slums that put their tenants' lives at risk and landlords who think they can get away with this will not be tolerated in Manchester.”

Peter O’Reilly, Director of Prevention and Protection at Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “In blatantly disregarding their duties and legal obligations as landlords, these two men have been irresponsible and reckless in the extreme.

"The fact that both men deliberately ignored attempts to make these flats safe and mislead the authorities underlines the contempt they had for the law and their legal responsibilities.”

Sorry the site won't let me post the link as I am a new(ish) user. Just google it, it's from the Manchester Evening News.

Morglin

It's about time that councils and the government got some control over these rogue landlords - the problem is getting worse, will get worse again with the LHA cap, and tenants are often left in unsafe and uninhabitable properties, particularly the poorest in society.:mad:

It would be a good idea if ALL landlords (however many properties they own), had to be licensed and were legally bound to strict codes of conduct, in respect of rent they charged and the state of the properties.

If they break the codes, then they should be forbidden, by law, to be landlords.

Millions are being handed out to these people, via the benefits system, for them to exploit tenants.

There are many brilliants landlords, and I'm sure they would like to see the cowboys driven out of the rental market.

Lin

theartfullodger

Good post jimquk, thanks, my earlier post about these "gentlemen" at..
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/44592240#Comment_44592240

Manchester Evening News link with pictures of both these quality gents here..

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1462440_landlords-jailed-after-renting-out-death-traps-while-they-lived-in-luxury

theartfullodger

Yes, and these Rogues [STRIKE]keep creeping out from under a stone[/STRIKE]... err.. are dragged screaming into the light by the authorities...

http://www.newstudent.co.uk/portsmouth-landlord-fined-12000-for-unsafe-let/

Portsmouth landlord fined £12,000 for unsafe let.
11 November 2011

It is a landlord's responsibility to comply to building regulations.

A Portsmouth landlord has been fined £12,000 after ignoring orders to stop letting out his unsafe student house.

Portsmouth City Council was forced to act after repeated complaints from students renting the house in St James’ Street, Portsea.

An inspection at the property found that one of the bedrooms was too small to be used for sleeping accommodation, three of the bedsit rooms were too small for purpose and the substandard cooking facilities could only be reached by an out door metal staircase.

The council prosecuted the landlord, JL Homes Ltd of Victoria Road South, Southsea, when he ignored two orders to not re-let the house until alterations had been made.

Cheers!

Artful

theartfullodger

I am indebted to the Landlord Information network for alerting me to this example of how not to be a Landlord...

A landlord has been fined £8000 after council officers described the house he rented as one of the worst they had seen.
Michael Fearon, 57, of High Road, Leytonstone, was found guilty at Stratford Magistrates' Court earlier this month (Nov) of five offences of failing to carry out improvement works and 26 offences of failing to manage the property effectively.

The charges, which Fearon denied, related to an end-of-terrace house on Grange Road, Plaistow. Fearon, who owns seven more rental properties, blamed ill health and claimed the tenants were responsible for maintaining the property, rather than him.

Newham Council officers discovered exposed electrical wiring, filthy kitchen units, mouldy walls and no smoke detectors.

The prosecution comes as Newham Council undertakes a consultation exercise, examining the possibility of licensing all private landlords. If given the go-ahead, Newham would be the first borough in the country to do this. The proposals are backed by national housing charity Shelter which has urged other councils to follow the council's lead.

Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales said: "We will never accept private sector tenants being directly exploited by landlords who force them to live in dangerous and unacceptable conditions.

"Good landlords have nothing to fear from this scheme. For the bad ones, this a clear message they must clean up their act. "

Kay Boycott, director of communications, policy and campaigns at Shelter, said: "We are delighted to hear that Newham Council could be introducing this scheme, which would help protect vulnerable tenants from rogue landlords who are making their tenants' lives hell.

"We urge other local councils to follow Newham's lead in sending a clear signal that enforcing the law against rogue landlords is a priority."

see..
http://www.newham.gov.uk/News/2011/November/Landlordfinedforoneoftheworsthousesofficershadseen.htm

theartfullodger

I am indebted to the "Daily Mail" (I'd like to make it clear I almost never ever read this "newspaper"......) for reporting this particularly shocking example of how not to be a Landlord...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2060206/Landlord-attacked-lodger-240-volt-booby-trap-row-satellite-TV.html

Landlord set 240-volt booby trap for lodger before attacking him with hammer after row over satellite TV

'Unpredictable' Eric Malcolm had rowed with tenant over Sky TV package
Botched attack 'could have killed' Tony Gilesnan
Told victim after attack: 'You should be on the floor with the 240 volts I've just put through you'

By Chris Parsons

An 'irrational' landlord tried to electrocute his lodger with a booby-trap after an argument over his tenant's satellite TV subscription.

Eric Malcolm, from Royston, Hertfordshire, wrapped a live 240-volt extension cable round his living room door handle in a bid to electrocute Tony Gilesnan, before hitting the tenant over the head with a hammer.

Mr Gilesnan, who had only been living with Malcolm for three days, received only a mild shock from the handle, but was left with a three-inch gash on the head after the hammer blow.

The pair had rowed about a Sky TV package in the property before Malcolm, 33, carried out the attack, which a court heard 'could have killed' Mr Gilesnan.

Cambridge Crown Court heard that after seeing lodger Mr Gilesnan receive only a small shock, Malcolm told him: 'You should be on the floor with the 240 volts I had put through you.


The court heard evidence from an electrician confirming that, if Malcolm had set up the trap properly, it could have seriously injured or killed Mr Gilesnan.

Malcolm had previously pleaded guilty to administering a noxious substance to Mr Gilesnan, namely 240 volts of electricity, so as to endanger his life, and also admitted grievous bodily harm.

The court was told the pair had set up a tenancy agreement and Mr Gilesnan had put down three months' rent and a deposit totalling £1,200 before they disagreed about their satellite TV.

The row was resolved but later escalated again when Malcolm wrongly thought his tenant had used his computer and broken one of his trophies.

It was after this new row that Malcolm went downstairs in the property and set up the trap, with Mr Gilesnan following shortly after.

Rebecca Smith, prosecuting, said Mr Gilesnan felt a 'tingle' as he touched the door handle before entering the room, and then 'felt a sharp blow to the back of his head.

'He turned and saw that he had had a hammer in his hand,' she told the court.

After a struggle Mr Gilesnan managed to grab the weapon and called the emergency services. He suffered a three-inch cut to his head after the attack on April 28 this year.

Malcolm, who the court heard had a problem with his temper, was said to have felt intimidated by his new tenant, despite having had few problems over the previous 10 years with 14 lodgers.

He was jailed for four years after a judge told him the attack was a 'wholly irrational act'.

Judge Gareth Hawkesworth said Malcolm was unpredictable and may commit further violent offences in the future.

jamie11

theartfullodger wrote: »

I am indebted to the "Daily Mail" (I'd like to make it clear I almost never ever read this "newspaper"......) for reporting this particularly shocking example of how not to be a Landlord...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2060206/Landlord-attacked-lodger-240-volt-booby-trap-row-satellite-TV.html

Come on Artful, this story is old news anyway, but what has it to do with one guy being a landlord and the other a lodger? This was basically a stupid guy having a go at someone else, I agree he deserves the sentence for his behaviour but being a landlord is not illegal. The DM is guilty of sensationalism, as usual, and it worked didn't it? At least it caught your eye.

mustrum_ridcully

jamie11 wrote: »

Come on Artful, this story is old news anyway, but what has it to do with one guy being a landlord and the other a lodger? This was basically a stupid guy having a go at someone else, I agree he deserves the sentence for his behaviour but being a landlord is not illegal. The DM is guilty of sensationalism, as usual, and it worked didn't it? At least it caught your eye.

Dated 11th November 2011, hardly old news is it? Prior to that the LL was guilty of nothing as he hadn't been tried in court.

Why so touchy about this? We all know Artful is a very experienced LL who quite reasonably wants to see poor LLs (who give LLs a bad name) named and shamed.

It's worth making sure the public know about cases like these because in England and Wales once he leaves prison he can become a LL again.

theartfullodger

Apologies Jamie, didn't appreciate it was old news