Just seen this online and thought it may be of interest to some of you.
There are still some "Rigsby" landlords out there who will literally let a property regardless of condition. There will always be vulnerable members of society who feel this is the only choice they have, I bet this landlord didnt ask for any references and probably charged a cheap rent. There is no mention of a deposit so it will have been attractive on some level initially. Until we get landlords to be part of a redress scheme in the same way agents are we will have this very problem. There is an argument that private landlords should have to instruct an agent, to ensure standards. See what you think....
Layla - Alexanders X
LANDLORD FINED £8000
A landlord has been fined £8,000 after local authority inspectors said that the property he rented out to tenants was one of the worst they had ever seen.
Michael Fearon, 57, Leytonstone, East London, was found guilty at Stratford Magistrates’ Court of five offences of failing to carry out improvement works and 26 offences of failing to manage the property effectively.
The charges, which Fearon denied, related to an end-of-terrace house. Fearon, who owns seven more rental properties, blamed ill health and claimed the tenants were responsible for maintaining the property and not him.
Newham Council officers discovered exposed electrical wiring, filthy kitchen units, mouldy walls and no smoke detectors.
The council is currently undertaking a consultation exercise, examining the possibility of mandatorily licensing all private landlords and their properties in the borough.
Newham Mayor Sir Robin Wales said: “We will never accept private sector tenants being directly exploited by landlords who force them to live in dangerous and unacceptable conditions. Good landlords have nothing to fear from this scheme. For the bad ones, this a clear message they must clean up their act.”
Kay Boycott, director of communications, policy and campaigns at Shelter, said: “We are delighted to hear that Newham Council could be introducing this scheme, which would help protect vulnerable tenants from rogue landlords who are making their tenants’ lives hell.”