News

Ealing Council brings rogue landlords to justice

Thursday, January 21st, 2016 - Ealing Council

Two Southall landlords have been prosecuted by Ealing Council after failing to make safe their dangerous and illegal privately rented properties.

Ahdil Saddiq, also known as Mohammed Jameel Choudhry and Jameel M Choudhry, was prosecuted for failing to comply with a Prohibition Order and Demolition Order served by the HMO (houses of multiple occupation) team because of a damp, dangerous and illegal outhouse at the rear of a property in Heathway, The Common, Southall.

When council officers inspected the outhouse in 2012 they found it was mouldy, damp and cold and had numerous electrical and fire safety hazards. A prohibition order was issued in October 2012 preventing anyone from living there. However, subsequent inspections found that the landlord was ignoring the order and that it was still occupied.

In January 2014, the council served a demolition order requiring the outhouse to be torn down. However, when Mr Saddiq also ignored the order, the council stepped in and demolished the outhouse, as picured above. Mr Saddiq must now pay the council’s demolition costs of approximately £18,000 or a charge will be placed against the property.

On Thursday, 7 January, Mr Saddiq appeared in Ealing Magistrates Court and was found guilty of six charges relating to his failure to comply with the prohibition and demolition orders. He was found guilty of all six charges and now must pay a £560 fine and the council’s legal costs of £2,616, as well as the demolition costs.

In a second case, Mr Jasjeet Singh Punny was prosecuted for failing to comply with an improvement notice on his property at 12 Oakleigh Court, Southall.

Mr Punny was renting the property to a mother and her young, asthmatic child, but when officers inspected the property they found the walls covered with mould, a large sliding door not fixed to the wall so at risk of falling and kitchen cabinets also not secured properly to the wall.

The council issued an improvement notice in September 2014 ordering him to make improvements, but he ignored all attempts by the officers to contact him. His continued failure to make the property safe resulted in his appearing before Ealing magistrates on 7 January where he was found guilty of failing to comply with the notice and ordered to pay a fine and council costs totalling £4,964.49.

Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for safety, culture and community services, said:

There is no place in this borough for slum landlords who are willing to put their tenants’ health and safety at risk for pure profit. Ealing Council is working hard to make sure that dangerous landlords feel the full weight of our powers and I am delighted to see these two selfish and irresponsible individuals found guilty.

Anyone with concerns about suspected illegal outhouses or disrepair in private rented property can contact the council’s regulatory services on (020) 8825 6622 or email propertyregulation@ealing.gov.uk.

Ealing Council is currently consulting on proposals to introduce additional and selective licensing to a wider range of private rented accommodation. Residents, landlords and tenants can give their views by going to www.ealing.gov.uk/consultations.

Landlords seeking information about property licensing and housing enforcement in Ealing can also visit www.londonpropertylicensing.co.uk/ealing.