Blackburn Landlord Hit with Hefty Fine

Blackburn Landlord Hit with Hefty Fine

15:30 PM, 10th January 2012, About 12 years ago 2

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News Sourced by Property118 News Team


A landlord in Blackburn has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £8,000 in costs after failing to ensure gas safety checks were completed at a property, home to a family of eight.

Mr Rashid Hussain failed to organise an inspection, despite being handed an improvement notice requiring him to get the property checked within 21 days. Mr Hussain ignored earlier warnings about the checks after he failed to renew after the first year.

It isn’t the first time Mr Hussain has been fined by Darwen Borough Council for ignoring an improvement notice, he was fined for two offences at the same property last year. He had also rented the property without the required licences.

Speaking about the case, HSE Inspector Matt Greenly said: “A young family have had to move out of the home they rented because their lives were being put at risk by Mr Hussain.

“He was happy to accept thousands of pounds in rent but refused to pay less than a hundred pounds for an annual gas safety check, despite receiving repeated warnings.”

Mr Greenly also warned other landlords about ignoring improvement notices, saying- “Improvement notices should act as a final warning to individuals about complying with health and safety laws, and we will continue to prosecute in cases where notices are ignored.”

Paul Johnston, Chief Executive of Gas Safe Register, outlined what landlords need to do to ensure their properties are up to scratch.

“By law, every rented home should have an annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer to make sure that all gas fittings and appliances are working safely and efficiently, and this is the landlord’s legal responsibility.

“Landlords must also give tenants a copy of the gas safety record to prove that these checks have been done. If your landlord hasn’t provided an up to date gas safety record, you could be at risk from gas leaks, fires, explosions and carbon monoxide poisoning.

“So even when you’re only planning on living somewhere for a short time, don’t forget to ask about gas safety.”

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Comments

Mark Reynolds

18:47 PM, 10th January 2012, About 12 years ago

This article drives home the very important subject of keeping up with your appliance checks. My article here discusses the issue of carbon monoxide alarms and how important they are - http://www.pierceandco.co.uk/Press-Room/Entry/landlords/2012/01/07/sleep-well-at-night-just-like-your-tenants.html

Regards

2:06 AM, 12th January 2012, About 12 years ago

Mr Paul Johnson is not correct to say every rented home must have an annual gas safety check.

Homes without gas (i.e. electric only) do not require a gas certificate.

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