Newham Landlord to Pay £7,515 in Fines

Stratford Magistrates Court has fined a landlord, who owns a property in Newham for breaching the Housing Act 2004. Upon the complaint from the tenant, Council officers inspected the flat located on Shelley Avenue and found out that the property was in a state of disrepair. The property that Kuldip Singh Minhas was letting out had several rotten door frames and window sets. Also, water was leaking through the adjoining property ceiling. Moreover, the badly installed skylight caused moisture allowance into the home. As for the interiors of the property, it was found out that the kitchen units as well as food preparation area were poorly maintained; also, the floor covering was damaged and/or uneven. Kuldip Singh Minhas has received an improvement notice but failed to either make any improvements or at least contact Council in order to rectify the defects of his property. In his turn, Kuldip Singh Minhas claimed that he was waiting for the tenant to move out in order to start the repair works. However, it was clearly stated in the notice that the landlord was required to address the issues highlighted in the notice within specific timescales, which were also included in the improvement notice. Now, Mr. Kuldip Singh Minhas faces a bill of £7,515. It includes a £3,750 fine and an order to pay Council's costs, which amount to £3,750. Also, the landlord has to pay a £15 victim surcharge, as he had failed to comply with the Improvement Notice. Housing, Process and Business Efficiency representative, Cr Andrew Baikie said that the case should become a warning for all landlords who disregard the state of their rental properties. He added that it’s 100% landlord’s responsibility to provide their tenants with a safe and secure residence.