It is important that a landlord realises they have a duty of care to their tenants with respect to the standard of accommodation they offer.

The vast majority of landlords know this and they understand that they are regulations they must comply with regarding the condition of their property. However, there are rogue landlords operating in the industry, and a rogue landlord is bad for the sector and this is why there has been a clampdown on property that is in poor condition.

Landlords across the United Kingdom will have an interest in what happened in Rugby recently. One landlord has been banned from operating in the rental market and this is down to the fact that the landlord placed tenants lives at risk. The dangers associated with unsafe property cannot be overstated and with new powers for housing enforcement teams across the country, more landlords may find that they are in trouble when it comes to the service they offer.

Some landlords face more problems than others

The landlord in question is Dean Dunkley and he is no stranger to legal issues. Back in April of 2016, Dunkley received a fine of close to £5,000 after he had pleaded guilty to 25 offences, all of which were under the Housing Act of 2004. He was recently found guilty of a range of offences after an investigation has been carried out, with the outcome of the investigation showing a multitude of safety breaches.

It is not as though this was the first warning for the landlord. Dunkley had been told on numerous occasions that his properties failed to meet expectations but he never carried out the recommended repairs. Some of the issues found by the housing enforcement team included:

• Fire doors that were faulty
• Electrical sockets that were broken
• Windows with holes in them
• An emergency exit being blocked by a fridge
• A lack of fire detection equipment in the communal kitchen
• A toilet without a door
• Emergency lighting that didn’t work

With 15 tenants spread across the 10 bedrooms of the property at the time, a lot of people were being placed at risk. It was estimated that Dunkley was receiving more than £800 each week in rent. Dunkley was also found to have obstructed the officers in their investigation, an aspect which was held against them when he was tried a Nuneaton Justice Court. Dunkley didn’t attend so he was prosecuted in his absence and he was found guilty of the 19 charges he faced, with a fine of £39,000 being imposed on him.

Landlord punishment contains many elements

This overall fine included £8,000 for letting a HMO without having the proper licence and costs of £2,2264. There was also a victim surcharge of £170 to pay. However, it may be that the Criminal Behaviour Order imposed on the landlord is the most important aspect. This is because this will prevent him from managing or letting residential property in Rugby until May of 2019 and even if Dunkley was looking to use an agent to work on his behalf, he would need to apply to the local council for permission.

While this event happened in Rugby, it is something that Brixton landlords and landlords across England should be aware of. Larger punishments are being imposed on landlords who fail to provide their tenants with a safe environment, so it is important that landlords review their activities and provide a higher standard of service.