A Landlord and lettings agency who have failed to undergo a range of repairs to a damp and leaky property in the Haringey area have now been fined following legal action taken by Haringey council.
Dilip Palmer of Alexander road, Wood green the controlling landlord and management company Easy Properties London Limited, based in Turnpike Parade Green lane had been ordered to pay out £3,435.55 with the company being ordered to make a payment of the same sum for not carrying out the necessary work to the Beresford Road property.
After being given a list of 43 repairs by the council following a visit from an environmental health officer in September 2013 and despite having 6 tenants occupying the property the inspector found the roof to be leaking ,damp in the downstairs of the property, broken windows and scorched light fitting in the bedrooms and cracks in the brickwork. The damp in the property was found in the downstairs shower room and the basement.
The Landlord and the controlling Letting Agency were given a strict 12 week period to carry out the work but when Council Officers returned for a later inspection they found that the level of work carried out was not nearly sufficient.
Both the lettings agency and landlord had denied three breaches of the Management of houses of multiple occupation regulations going on to blame each other for not doing repairs, neither party were willing to admit liability for the actions.
Following this they were convicted after a trial at Tottenham magistrate’s court. Each party was fined £2,100 in relation to the breach of regulations and ordered to pay £1,125.55 in costs on top of this they were also made to pay a £90 victim surcharge.
Counselor Ali Demirci, Haringey council’s cabinet member for planning has this to say in relation to the incident: “It is unacceptable for landlords and letting agencies to leave tenants living in properties which do not meet the minimum hygiene and safety standards. Where we discover landlords and letting agencies are turning their back on tenants in this way, we will not hesitate to take the toughest action.”
