Cardiff City Council has successfully prosecuted two private landlords with houses in multiple occupation in Cardiff, at a hearing on June 20 at Cardiff Magistrates Court.
The action follows recent similar prosecutions against rogue private landlords in the city in a bid to get them to clean up their act.
David Lubin of Plasnewydd, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to 1 offence offence under the Housing Act 2004, for failure to produce documents and 3 offences under the Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions)(Wales) Regulations 2007. This related to a failure to ensure electrical equipment was inspected and tested; failure to ensure fire alarms were maintained and failure to ensure that all means of escape from fire were maintained.
He was fined £1000 for each offence giving a total fine of £4000. He was also ordered to pay costs of £450 and a victim surcharge of £120.
Shamsdin Ali of Heath, Cardiff was found guilty in his absence of 10 offences relating to effective management of a house in multiple occupation. This related to failure to maintain fire safety measures; failure to ensure the property was adequately secure and failure to ensure that the gas and electrical installations were in safe working order.
He was fined £1200 per offence giving a total fine of £12000; ordered to pay costs of £411 and a victim surcharge of £120. He was given 28 days to pay.
Councillor Bob Derbyshire, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Regulatory Services said,
“The majority of private landlords operate within the law and provide their tenants with a valuable service. The Council will continue to target the minority of landlords who provide sub-standard and dangerous accommodation which flouts the regulations and poses a risk to the occupants.”
Councillor Derbyshire continued,
“Landlords who choose to ignore the Council and do not rectify their failings will be prosecuted. Renting accommodation can be a lucrative business, so we are currently looking into legislation to increase the amount of money from prosecutions through the Proceeds of Crime Act which will act as additional incentive for landlords to provide accommodation to tenants that meets the legislation.”
