Warning as landlord is fined £2,250

From the Lancashire Evening Telegraph, first published Tuesday 1st Feb 2005.

LANDLORDS have been warned not to let their properties become substandard after a property owner was fined more than £2,200.

Hyndburn Council and fire officers carried out an inspection of a property containing five flats in Whalley Road, Accrington, after a serious fire in the ground floor flat in December 2003.

They found that the fire escape and other fire safety precautions were inadequate. The inspection also revealed problems with management standards throughout the building, magistrates were told.

Amir Saeed, owner of the property, was served with legal notices ordering him, under provisions in the Housing Act 1985, to carry out improvement works.

But when he failed to make the changes Hyndburn Borough Council started legal proceedings.

Saeed pleaded guilty to wilfully failing to comply with the notices when he appeared at Hyndburn Magistrates Court earlier this month.

The magistrates fined him a total of £2,250.

Speaking after the hearing Councillor Ann Scaife, cabinet member for environmental services, said: "The tenants at this property were exposed to an unacceptable degree of risk, and the level of the fine reflects the serious nature of this matter.

"This sends out a clear message to landlords of substandard properties in Hyndburn and we will carry on working to improve housing conditions in the private rented sector and will have no hesitation in enforcing the legislation through the courts where necessary."

In September 2003 Hyndburn Council launched a voluntary Accreditation Scheme for landlords to improve the standards in private housing throughout the borough.

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