Landlords; don’t leave your tenants in the cold!
A Landlord who failed to repair the heating system, damp of a house and fire proofing has been ordered to pay £18,000.
The house in Ivybridge, Devon, had been in a state of disrepair for a long time, which was affecting the health of the elderly and vulnerable tenant.
After investigating the complaint, South Hams District Council served an improvement notice, which required repairs to be undertaken to the heating system, fire proofing and prevention of damp.
As the council were provided with no evidence to suggest that the landlord was going to undertake the required repair works and rather than starting a prosecution, the council decided to serve the landlord with a £18,000 civil penalty.
The £18,000 civil penalty is in addition to the repair works, which the landlord has now organised to be carried out.
The landlord does not live in the South Hams and has not be named by the council, as it was a civil penalty.
This is a stark reminder that landlords must keep the property in good order at all times.
Landlords are responsible for maintaining the following items at the landlord’s own cost:
· The structure and exterior of the property.
· Sinks, baths, toilets and other sanitary fittings, including pipes and drains.
· Heating and hot water installations.
· All gas appliances, pipes, flues and ventilation.
· Electrical wiring.
It is imperative that landlords keep on top of maintenance works. If a local authority has concerns over any aspect of safety of the property, it can carry out an inspection and insist on repairs being carried out and as we have seen from the above case, issue a large penalty notice.
