A team dedicated to cutting the number of sub-standard homes in Liverpool has successfully prosecuted a landlord who defied enforcement action. He is one of 514 property owners to be served with similar notices in the last year.
Chandan Gidoomal, of Harrow Road, Kensal Green, London was fined £750 and ordered to pay £450 costs after failing to repair property at 2 Cretan Road, Wavertree, Liverpool.
Following complaints from neighbours, the Liverpool City Council’s Public Protection Team inspected the large three-storey property.
Investigators found it had suffered from a lack of investment over a number of years and had fallen into such a state of disrepair that it was having a detrimental impact and blighting the area.
The council served a formal notice under Section 215 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 requiring the owner to carry out works to improve the condition of the property but these appeared to be ignored.
A case was brought before the Liverpool Magistrates court where Gidoomal pleaded guilty to the offence of failing to comply with the requirements of the notice and he was ordered to pay the fine, plus the council’s costs.
Gidoomal was told he still must comply with the requirements of the notice and is currently awaiting a decision on planning permission.
But if works do not commence in a reasonable period following the approval he will again be taken to court for further formal action which could result in a fine for each day the property is left in disrepair.
Cllr Berni Turner, Liverpool’s executive member for the environment, said: “The city’s environment has a direct impact on the well-being of the people of Liverpool and this case shows our resolve and determination to improve all aspects of the environment for those who live, work and visit the city.”
• Unfair letting agent renewal fees should be scrapped, according to the National Landlords Association (NLA).
The organisation has spoken out following the recent court order secured by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) against High Street letting agent Foxtons.
The order comes after a landmark judgment last summer when the High Court ruled that the agent’s commission charges were “severely camouflaged” and represented “a ‘trap’ or ‘timebomb’ for consumers.”
ince then the OFT has been pursuing a court order to protect landlords using the services of an agent.
The NLA has welcomed the OFT’s assertion that landlords ‘should not be presented with a surprise bill for services they have not consciously agreed to.’
David Salusbury, Chairman, NLA, said: “Although this is clearly good news for landlords, the NLA is still calling for these unfair renewal fees to be scrapped. Where the letting agent performs no service to the landlord throughout a tenancy, why should they still be able to charge the landlord of their tenant chooses to renew the tenancy?
“The message to all letting agents is now clear. Do not try and mislead your clients. Our advice to landlords remains the same. Always check the small print before signing on the dotted line.”
The final High Court order against Foxtons Ltd stops the agency from using certain terms concerning sales and commissions in its letting agreements with consumer landlords.
The OFT is following up this order by writing to other letting agents to make them aware that they are expected to comply with the law as set out in this ruling.
