Nobody likes this damp and chilly time of year, and you want to be able to come home to a warm and toasty property.
Tenants of a property in Woking didn’t have this luxury, facing mouldy walls, a leaky toilet and a poorly-installed hot water cylinder in their badly- maintained rental property.
After numerous pleas to their landlord, Alan Kevin Fowler, to rectify the issues at the property, Woking Borough Council eventually got involved, and hit Mr Fowler with a fine that left him with chills.
He was ordered to pay a total of £8,432 for failing to carry out repairs on the property, and attending to health and safety issues, despite having been served two Improvement Notices.
Investigation by the council revealed that the tenants were not only living in damp conditions, but also dangerous ones, and faced a number of health and safety issues every day, which was classed as being in an ‘appalling state of repair'.
The issues included:
- Severe mould growth caused by a leaking water cylinder
- No smoke alarms
- A faulty extractor fan
- No electrical inspection having been carried out
- A poorly installed high pressure hot water cylinder
- A leaking toilet
- Cracked kitchen and bathroom floor tiles
Mr Fowler’s prosecution is the fourth of its kind in Woking in the past six months, and the council are keen to stress that they will not tolerate poor housing standards in the area.
Our successful prosecution of private landlords demonstrates the Council’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding the rights of private tenants in the Borough. Woking Borough Council acknowledges the value in the private rented sector to the residents of Woking but we are dedicated to helping ensure that landlords operate within the law and provide safe accommodation for the Borough’s residents. We do not tolerate poor housing standards or complete disregard for tenant welfare and, wherever possible, we will aim to build a case and prosecute against such behaviour. The proactive court enforcement action will act as a deterrent to others considering neglect of their property and of their duty to provide a secure and habitable place of residence for their tenants.
Councillor Colin Kemp, Woking Borough Council’s Portfolio Holder for Housing Services
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