Harlesden landlord hit with fines and costs totalling £9,000 for putting safety of tenant at risk

Sunday, March 3rd, 2024 - Brent Council

A private landlord has been slammed with £9,000 in fines and costs for ignoring notices served by Brent Council to improve his property.

Following reports of disrepair from a tenant of the flat in Harlesden, the council inspected the property and uncovered a range of hazards, including ventilation issues and a broken electric heater.

Enforcement officers issued an improvement notice to the landlord, Kevin McLoughlin of Hertfordshire in June 2023 mandating that essential repairs to address these hazards be completed by August 2023.

Following a reinspection of the property in August 2023, council officers found no action had been taken to comply with the legal notice. Enforcement officers also identified a further hazard, a faulty fire control panel, posing a significant risk to residents in the event of a fire. Mr McLoughlin was instructed to repair the fire control panel within seven days.

Following a further inspection of the property in September 2023, it was clear that instructions issued to Mr McLoughlin had been ignored and he had failed to address any of the issues identified. Recognising the severe negligence and risk posed to residents, the council instigated a criminal prosecution.

On 15 February 2024, Mr McLoughlin pleaded guilty to failing to comply with the requirements of the improvement notice. Mr McLoughlin was fined and ordered to pay costs totalling £9,212.50.

Councillor Promise Knight, Brent’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Homelessness and Renters’ Security said: 

“Everyone deserves a safe and comfortable place to live. Rogue landlords in our borough will find themselves facing hefty fines and possibly a criminal conviction.”

“Despite repeated directives, the landlord demonstrated a complete disregard for the safety and well-being of residents by failing to address any of the hazards identified.“Everyone deserves a safe and comfortable place to live. Rogue landlords in our borough will find themselves facing hefty fines and possibly a criminal conviction. We will use whatever powers we have to hold them to account.”

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