A Cardiff landlord has been fined after her Victorian property was converted into flats and rented out with no fire alarm system, unprotected electricity meters, defective fire doors and penetrating damp.
Rowshanara Begum from Clive Street, Grangetown has been ordered to pay £10,000 because of the "unsafe and dangerous" conditions in the house she manages as a house of multiple occupation (HMO). The unscrupulous landlord did not attend the hearing at Cardiff Magistrates Court on December 1 and she was sentenced in her absence.
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It was heard how there was a "catalogue of failures" at the four flats in the property in Blaenclydach Street in Grangetown.. They came to light after one of the tenants made a complaint and Cardiff Council investigated.
An inspection was carried out and a catalogue of faults were identified, including, inadequate structural fire protection to escape from the property, no fire alarm system, unprotected electricity meters, defective fire doors, broken windows, unsafe electrical installations, dirty carpets, unsafe kitchen facilities and evidence of penetrating damp.
Legal notices were served on Mrs Begum to make the required repairs to her rented property. As these repairs were not completed within the time allowed, legal action was taken. Begum was ordered to pay more than £10,000 in fines. She was fined £2,000 for each of the five offences as well as £2,000 in costs and a victim surcharge of £190.
Councillor Lynda Thorne, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: "HMO's play an important role in the city's housing stock. As a landlord, the financial yield from these properties is often higher than renting a family home, but renting HMO's carries additional responsibilities and the required investment in the property to ensure that it is safe for the tenants that are living there.
"In this instance, the Victorian property has been turned into four self-contained flats. The flats were not just in breach of the requirements, they were unsafe and dangerous."
She added that council officers will act following the completion of the legal process to ensure that repairs are carried out and the property is in a safe state of repair for the people living there.
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