A landlord who disregarded the safety of his tenants in a house of multiple occupation has been successfully prosecuted by the Council for his failings.
Mr Jimri Uloli, manager of the Golden Dragon, Monmouth Place was prosecuted under various sections of Government legislation including the failure to licence a licensable HMO, failure to manage the HMO, failure to obey an emergency prohibition order for fire hazards, and a prohibition order for electrical hazards/ fall on stairs/ excess cold and other aspects.
After Mr. Uloli pleaded guilty, the Chairman of bench Tony Williams said, “Clearly people could have died in this house, therefore the offences that we see in front of us we consider to be very serious. Ignorance is not a defence and saying you didn’t understand is not enough.”
The defendant was fined £14,000, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £1,400 and prosecution costs of £500.
Upon entering the property, the Council discovered a number of issues including:
- No fire detection, deadlocks on doors, no kitchen door or fire resistant doors, poor electrics meaning that if a fire were to start it would spread easily and undetected;
- Poorly installed electrics with trailing cables further increasing the likelihood of a fire starting;
- No fire extinguishers and a leaking boiler located on the means of escape should a fire break out;
- A gas fire in one of the bedrooms showing considerable disrepair;
- No fixed heating, like a radiator or electric heater;
- Poorly maintained and cracked windows;
- Cracks and sagging of some of the floors and ceilings;
- Floor coverings that increased the risk of falls on the stairs.
Graham Sabourn, Council Head of Housing, said, “The landlord of this property put the lives of ten people in danger through poor upkeep and a lack of attention to basic fire safety. Bath & North East Somerset Council will use the powers it has at its disposal to come down hard on landlords who run roughshod over the rules which are there to maintain safety, support people’s health, and encourage greater well-being of tenants.”
If landlords are in any doubt about whether their property is an HMO or what measures they must take to ensure health and safety for their tenants, they should contact the Council’s Housing Team on 01225 396418 or email [email protected].
Councillor Tim Ball (Lib-Dem, Twerton), Cabinet Member for Homes and Planning, said, “This case serves as an important lesson for any landlord thinking they can creep below the radar of the Council. Our message is clear. If you fail to protect your tenants from risks like fire you will be hit in the pocket by prosecution through the courts. We are here to provide guidance for any landlord who is unclear on the rules. There is no excuse.”
