Surrey landlord fined £39,000 for ignoring improvement notice

A landlord of a property in Whyteleafe, Surrey, has been fined £39,000 for not complying with an improvement notice issued by the council.

Gary Henderson-Thynne appeared at Redhill Magistrates’ Court on 11 November and was fined £39,000 as well as being ordered to pay back £1,658 for work carried out by the council, as well as legal costs of £510 and £120 to the victim support scheme.

In February 2013, the council received a complaint about the condition of the property in Godstone Road, Whyteleafe. The property was surveyed by an Environmental Health Officer who confirmed there was damp, mould and disrepair at the property.

Letters were sent to the landlord Henderson-Thynne and because he failed to comply with the council’s requests, an improvement notice was issued. This identified various issues including loose and broken garden steps, ill-fitting windows and doors, a leaking roof, damp and mould, a faulty heating system, inadequate insulation, structural defects and poor electrics.

Emergency work was carried out by the council to prevent structural collapse and to get rid of damp. Parts of the building were not allowed to be used by the tenants. Despite further efforts to persuade the owner to carry out works, no substantive improvements were made. As a result the council decided to prosecute the owner for non-compliance with the improvement notice.

Councillor Simon Ainsworth, chairman of the housing committee, said: “We are pleased with the outcome of the case as it sends a clear message to landlords who do not maintain their properties. Despite being given a lot of time to resolve the problems at the property, Mr Henderson-Thynne has still not complied with the notice.”