Landlord Fined after Health and Safety Audits
A property owner in Basildon has been brought to court for risking resident’s lives. The landlord allowed her appliances to become less than well maintained or safe. She provided a number of properties to families and individuals without ensuring proper maintenance was completed. The health and safety audits from the HSE showed that she did not hire an appropriate professional to conduct the yearly test on the gas appliances. Landlords are responsible for hiring a professional to see to the gas safety checks each year. Between 2003 and 2010, there were at least four properties that were not properly checked. Two boilers also needed to be shut down because of the health and safety risks to the tenants.
A few of the safety checks were conducted by registered engineers, but she also had an unregistered engineer install one gas boiler. The landlord admitted to seven counts of breaching the 1998 health and safety gas regulation concerning the safety and health laws in the UK. She has been given 150 hours of community service. There is also £2,000 in costs she has been ordered to pay. At the hearing, it was mentioned that letting property can be profitable, but property owners have still signed an agreement that they will care for the property including exterior issues and gas appliances. This case shows that the courts are serious in ensuring tenant rights especially when there is an issue of safety and health breaches.
