Fine for ‘worst property’ housing inspectors have seen

Billesley -based David Greene was said to have shown a ‘callous disregard’ about the safety breaches by Birmingham City Council at his ten flats in Moseley, which included broken smoke alarms, blocked fire escapes, ill-fitting fire doors and old toilets dumped outside the building.

The tenants were also left with no access to hot water or heating, and the front and rear doors were poorly secured, meaning that the property was vulnerable to the elements and break-ins.

Mr Greene, who has owned the property for over 30 years, had been contacted by Birmingham City council on numerous occasions, with a view to fixing the issues that offered protection to residents in the case of a fire. A judge at Birmingham Magistrates Court prosecuted him for a number of breaches of the House in Multiple Occupation Management Regulation after he admitted that these warnings were not adhered to. He was fined £35,000, and ordered to pay £1,941 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.