News
Dangerous electrics lead to prosecution for lslington landlord
A landlord who failed to comply with an Improvement Notice served by Islington Council and left their tenants exposed to serious hazards has found themselves in Court.
An investigation was carried out by Islington’s environmental health team following receipt of a complaint about a self-contained flat in City Road, London EC1V.
Officers found that tenants living in the multiple occupancy property were at risk from a string of hazards including fire, excess cold, falls on the stairs, falls between levels and entrapment. There were unsafe electrics in a bathroom and an unguarded flat roof from which the tenants could have fallen.
In December 2013, the landlord, Euro Lets (UK) Limited, based in Danbury Street, London N1 was served with an Improvement Notice under the Housing Act 2004. The notice required the landlord to remedy all the serious hazards to improve the living conditions.
When Euro Lets (UK) Limited failed to comply with the Housing Act Improvement Notice before the deadline of 18 May 2014, the decision was taken to prosecute.
At a hearing on 9 April 2015, Highbury Magistrates’ Court was told that the majority of the work had been completed by the time the case was heard but that some works were still incomplete. Euro Lets (UK) Limited was found guilty of failing to comply with the Improvement Notice. The company was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay the council’s costs of £1,173.10.
Jan Hart, Islington’s director for public protection, said: “This property was in an unacceptably poor state. Islington Council is determined that private landlords are held to account and provide homes that are decent and suitable to live in.“
In March 2015, Islington Council approved plans for an additional licensing scheme covering Caledonian Road and Holloway Road. The scheme will come into force on 1 September 2015 and more information is available here.
The Council have also set up a new hotline number, 020 7527 3001, to provide help and advice for tenants who privately rent homes in Islington.
