A council has prosecuted a landlord for accommodating an asylum seeker in a dangerous property and the fine is rising day by day if he does not comply.

The house in Nelson, Lancashire, was deemed unsafe for occupation in 2022 because of unsafe electrics, no heating or hot water, cracked and broken windows and many other issues. 

Sharaz Manzur has pleaded guilty to breaching a Prohibition Order and admitted he allowed an asylum seeker to live in the unfit property. Appearing at Blackburn Magistrates Court, Manzur changed his plea to guilty after giving a not guilty plea at a previous court hearing.

He told the court he didn’t receive any rental income, but the tenant was working on the property. He said work is continuing at the property and he shortly hopes to contact Pendle council to get the order lifted. 

The court decided Manzur blatantly ignored the order and took advantage of a vulnerable asylum seeker and accommodated him in a dangerous property. 

He was fined £2,123; but due to Manzur’s guilty plea, it was reduced to £1,592. He was also ordered to pay £687.50 costs and a £637 victim surcharge, totalling £2,916.50.

Following the court case, a council spokesperson said: “This case demonstrates our commitment to tackling criminal and rogue landlords.  There is no excuse for landlords who choose to ignore the law.

“This successful prosecution will set an example to the small minority of landlords who put their tenants at risk and take advantage of vulnerable people.

“… Whilst the property was still prohibited and unsafe, we became aware that there was a tenant in occupation; an asylum seeker who had moved into the property with the agreement that he would complete the works. 

“Council officers visited and found that the tenant was sleeping in a tent inside the property to keep warm and had removed the gas fire so that he could light a fire to both keep warm and cook with. The landlord Mr Manzur had permitted this and had signed a tenancy agreement.”  

The tenant is still living at the property and there is a £20 per day fine post-conviction if Manzur continues to breach the order.