A buy to let landlord was fined £17,000 ignored safety rules and left a family at risk by asking an unregistered fitter to reconnect a dangerous gas supply.
Sima Yaqub, of Sharrow, Sheffield, admitted five breaches of gas safety rules at the city’s magistrates court.
As well as the fine, she must pay £6, 916 in costs.
The court was told Yaqub showed a ‘complete disregard’ for the safety of the family who rented her property.
He had never provided a gas safety certificate – even though the family moved in in July 2011.
Magistrates were also told an unregistered fitter installed a boiler, but left it in a dangerous state.
Engineers were called who disconnected the gas supply, but the same fitter went back and reconnected the faulty boiler, which was used for several weeks until the gas supply was disconnected again.
HSE Inspector Denise Fotheringham said: “Yaqub has shown a wilful and consistent disregard for the welfare and safety of the tenant and her family and has neglected her duty of care as a landlord over many months.
“She exposed a family to a dangerous appliance that could have resulted in serious injury or death.”
Shabby rented home was a fire risk
A Leeds landlord was fined £9,066 for ignoring five fire safety warnings from the city council over safety standards in a buy to let home.
Mrs Farideh Poorsheiki failed to appear at Leeds Magistrates Court and was found guilty and fined in her absence.
The court was told the home appeared to have been neglected for some time, with internal doors smashed and the outside was in a state of disrepair. Housing officers tried to make an appointment with landlord several times without success.
Councillor Peter Gruen, Leeds City Council executive board member for neighbourhoods, planning and support services said: “It is not acceptable that we have some landlords who consistently choose to disregard tenant safety and advice from council officers.
“We will take action wherever possible against rogue landlords and hope this latest prosecution sends a clear message to landlords who fail to improve housing standards in this area.
“The council has been concerned about the state of repair of some properties on East Park Grove. Three landlords have been prosecuted already in this road and a number of cases are pending on this road alone. This is an issue that we will be monitoring closely and taking action when and where necessary.”
Landlord ignored HMO safety rules
A shared house landlord s pleaded guilty to poorly managing a house in multiple occupation (HMO), which failed to meet acceptable living standards.
Imran Ali pleaded guilty to nine offences and was ordered to £2,350 with £200 costs for the offences at Oxford Magistrates Court.
The court heard kitchen tiles were broken, the cooker was unsafe, loose electrical wires trailed across landings and the rear garden was full of rubbish.
