Second-offence landlord guilty of nine safety violations

A second-offence landlord has received fines totalling £5,259.75 after council officers found nine different safety violations at a single property.

The building in Scunthorpe was found by investigators to have a number of serious health and safety breaches.

These included a cracked light switch, dangerous plug sockets with exposed wires, cracks, mould and damp on walls, a lack of fire doors and fire alarms, fire escape routes blocked with debris and furniture, a broken step and worn floor coverings causing trip hazards and a lack of bins and recycling boxes.

The landlord, Amarjit Singh, pleaded guilty to nine different charges at Grimsby Magistrates Court. He was fined a total of £3,300 for the offences, plus £1,769.75 in costs and a £190 victim surcharge.

Officers at North Lincolnshire council investigated the breaches following police reports and complaints from neighbours.

The landlord had recently appeared in court in relation to three other Scunthorpe properties where violations meant tenants’ lives were put at risk, for which he was fined £3,607.

A spokesperson for the authority says: “Because the vast majority of landlords in North Lincolnshire take their responsibilities seriously and provide safe, good quality accommodation, we will always pursue people like Mr Singh.

“Our officers work long and hard making sure people like him fulfil their obligations and obey the law.”

In April the council is launching a new Decent and Safe Homes - Dash - accreditation scheme for landlords, which will protect tenants and show when a landlord is serious about setting, achieving and maintaining high standards.

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