A landlord is facing a bill of almost £5,000 for failing to install smoke detectors in a house he rented out to a young family, in a case brought by Liverpool City Council.
The property, on Kingsheath Avenue in Liverpool 14, also had electrical sockets hanging off the wall, a broken light fitting and low window sills which were a danger to the three children living there.
The front door had a smashed pane and was screwed shut, meaning the tenant had to use the kitchen door to get in and out of the house.
Prop Yourself Limited of Derlwyn Cottage, Llanfair Road in Ruthin, pleaded guilty under the Housing Act 2004 to failing to comply with an Improvement Notice and was fined £4,000 plus costs of £760.63 and a £180 victim surcharge.
At Liverpool Magistrates Court, District Judge Boswell noted that the cost of the repairs were relatively minor and that that the absence of fire detection put the tenants at risk of serious injury or worse.
In a separate case, Ahmed Kayse Ahmed, of 113 Third Avenue, Bordesley Green, Birmingham, was found guilty of failing to license a property on Beaconsfield Street in Liverpool 8 between 15 September 2016 and 3 April 2019, under the council’s previous Landlord Licensing scheme, which ran from 2015-2020. He was fined £1,000 plus £1,000 costs and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £100.
In April, Liverpool City Council will launch a brand new Landlord Licensing scheme covering 80 per cent of privately rented homes, as part of a drive to improve standards across the sector.
Councillor Sarah Doyle, Cabinet Member for Strategic Housing and Regeneration, said: “Being a landlord brings with it responsibilities in making sure that tenants can live in safety and comfort.
“It is shocking that in this case a landlord was quite happy to take rent but unwilling to spend a small amount of money on smoke alarms, making electrics safe and repairing a front door.
“We are determined to take action against landlords if they put tenants at risk and our new Landlord Licensing scheme will give us the ability to redouble our efforts to intervene and force action to improve properties.
“All of this form part of our determination to raise standards and improve the city’s neighbourhoods for residents.”
