A Cardiff landlord has been ordered to pay just over £4,500 for failing to rectify faults relating to two flats he owns and rents out in the city.
Christopher Harper did not attend Cardiff Magistrates' Court but was convicted in his absence.
This latest case came to light, following Harper's refusal to comply with legal notices served on him to fix several faults at these rented properties, follows a previous prosecution against him in September last year.
The court heard that the defective fire alarm, inadequate structural fire protection and an insecure front door were still not fixed, and Harper continued to fail to submit gas and electricity certificates for these properties, in line with the licensing requirements.
Councillor Lynda Thorne, cabinet member for communities at Cardiff council, says: "The majority of private sector landlords provide a very good service for their residents, but unfortunately there is a minority that do not.
"When we take these matters to court, we do this to benefit the residents living at these properties, so that the faults identified are fixed and the properties are safe to live.
"This case shows that when we successfully prosecute a private sector landlord, we do follow up these cases to ensure the issues are resolved. In this case, it became clear that Mr Harper wasn't willing to rectify the faults, so legal notices were served on him. Failure to respond and action these legal notices have resulted him being brought court again and ordered to pay a further £4,500.
"Our officers will continue to act on intelligence that we receive and in this case, we will continue to pursue the landlord until the faults have been rectified."
Harper was fined a total of £3,000, ordered to pay £360 costs and a victim surcharge of £1,200 for failing to act on the legal notices that were served on him.
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What an utterly stupid way of going about business. How is fining the landlord going to help the tenants? It would have been far cheaper quicker and better for the tenants. If the council had repaired the property and build the landlord plus costs.
What a bunch of idiots the council is. Where is the evidence of prosecution ever being a deterrent? Look at America, in some states they give power to the tenants to sort out their own problems and charge the landlord. The same right exists in the UK see shelters website. They surprisingly are the only organisation telling tenants to help themselves.
Jim Haliburton,
The HMO Daddy
Sounds like the council should have closed the property down in order to protect the tenants from danger, oh but.... of course then the council would have had to house the displaced tenants
Did the work ever get done?
If he is handing in certificates, what is the problem ? It's likely he hasn't received the documentation from the court, HMCS and Royal mail are now very poor.
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