Latest property horror stories

Latest property horror stories

10:09 AM, 27th June 2011, About 13 years ago

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Council spends £25,000 on repairing death-trap HMO

A death-trap letting property seized by a council because the tenants lived in such appalling conditions has cost around £25,000 to repair.

The house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Peterborough had blocked drains, uncapped gas pipes and a bypassed electric meter.

Landlord Mrs Vajinder Kaur (39), of Thorpe Park Road, Peterborough, was found guilty of running an HMO without a license by Peterborough Magistrates.

They fined her £15,000 and ordered her to pay £7,216 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

The court heard the council took over the property in November and has spent £25,000 on improving safety and living standards.

Kaur blamed her husband for the problems, explaining he managed the property for her.

She also said that the city council has spent £25,000 bringing the property up to a safe standard.

The property is the first HMO seized by Peterborough Council.

Harassed tenant fled her home

Landlord Saleem Ali threatened to slit a tenant’s throat with a knife in a row over unpaid rent.

Ali, 27, of Earl Marshal Road, Grimesthorpe, Sheffield, admitted harassing the tenant to Sheffield Magistrates. They ordered him to pay a £600 fine, £390 legal costs and £15 victim surcharge.

Prosecutor Paul Barber told the court that Ali repeatedly phoned the woman demanding money and made late night visits to her home. During one call, he threatened to slit her throat.

The council warned Ali about his behaviour and advised him how to lawfully evict someone, but he ignored their warning and continued harassing her until the council rehoused her.

Cannabis farming charge

Thom Tui Do, 51, of Olympic Way, Greenford, Middlesex, was remanded in custody by Uxbridge Magistrates, West London, on a charge of cultivating cannabis after 500 plants were found in her rented home in a raid by police.

Developer broke planning rules

A property development company that ignored planning rules by converting a house in to four flats was fined £6,000.

Brendan Kiely, a director of the firm Hometrader (North East) Ltd, was also fined £300 by Blackpool Magistrates after pleading guilty to breaching planning laws.

His firm converted a house on Exchange Street, Blackpool, in to flats without planning permission and then let the homes to tenants.


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