Enfield landlord fined for bedsit license failures

An Enfield landlord has been ordered to pay a £13,000 fine for failing to properly licence his bedsits for rent.

Chuba Obi's avoidance of licensing enabled him to avoid having his property properly scrutinised under safety regulations by Haringey Council, reports the Haringey Independent.

An attempt to appeal the conviction was turned down and the initial fine was increased by more than £2,000, bringing the total amount he is due to pay to £13,362.80.

Cabinet member for enforcement and safer communities Nilgun Canver told the newspaper: "It's about the powers that the licence confers upon the council, which is to ensure that the house is not overcrowded, that it has adequate amenities for the numbers of tenants, that it is adequately heated and provided with a minimum level of fire safety measures."

This prosecution comes after St Helens landlord Paul O'Shaughnessy was fined £6,000 after ignoring local authority warnings to rectify safety hazards in a young family's home, which the St Helens Star reported.

Among the property's problems were a broken boiler, leaky roof and missing stair handrail.

Article Date: 20/01/2010