Ex-landlord Ordered to Pay £20,000 in Fines

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has again fined a private residential landlord who failed to comply with gas safety regulations. Also, HSE has issued a warning for buy to let landlords about cutting corners with gas safety. Adrian Ellis, a former residential landlord, admitted that he had 5 breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 when he arrived in at Colchester Magistrates' Court earlier in April. The court fined Mr. Ellis £11,300; court costs constituted £8,700, which means that the former landlord was ordered to pay the total of £20,000 in 56 days. Otherwise, the Court said he would face a 12-month imprisonment. Originally, Ellis failed to appear in court in 2006, after what the Court issued a warrant with bail for Mr. Ellis. The warrant was served in March 2009. The 5 charges against Adrian Ellis, associated with Gas Safety Regulations 1998, are as follows: -    A fine of £2,500 for carrying out boiler works without proper competence (breaching Regulation 3(1)) -    A fine of £2,000 for the same offence at a different property (breaching Regulation 3(1)) -    A fine of £3,300 for not making sure that the boiler was maintained in a safe condition (breaching Regulation 36(2)(a)) -    A fine of £2,000 for not making any records of gas boiler safety checks (breaching Regulation 36(3)(c)) -    A fine of £1,000 for failing to provide tenants with a copy of the safety check record (breaching Regulation 36(6)(a)). HSE inspector commented on the situation: “Annual safety checks must be carried out by competent registered gas engineers to avoid situations when people die needlessly of carbon monoxide poisoning. All safety check records must be kept for a min. of 2 years and tenants must be provided with a copy of safety check records.” He also said that it is illegal to carry out any works on gas appliance without proper registration. He added that HSE will not hesitate to prosecute those landlords who fail to comply with their responsibilities and duties associated with ensuring the safety of their tenants.