News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the December 2000 / January 2001 issue RPI news archive

Landlord sent for sentencing - December 2000 / January 2001

A landlord who admitted he had been careless with his paperwork and as a consequence had not complied with gas safety regulations has been sent to the Crown Court for sentencing.

Stuart Banks had pleaded guilty to 10 gas safety charges when appearing before Skegness Magistrates recently, following the death of a tenant from carbon monoxide poisoning. The flue to the gas fire in the flat in which the tenant died was found to have been blocked. There was no evidence Banks had done anything to cause the blockage and police had declined to prosecute on the basis that the lack of a gas check had been an oversight rather than gross negligence.

However, an investigation by Health & Safety officers revealed breaches of regulations concerning seven properties owned by Banks.

The magistrates decided their powers of sentencing, which could have resulted in fines totalling £50,000, were inadequate to reflect the seriousness of the offences.
 

other artilces from the December 2000 / January 2001 issue

• Increasing costs
• Call for crisis talks on benefit delays
• Compensation not small beer
• Action taken on allocation and Ads
• CIEH campaigns for HMO licensing move
• Landlord sent for sentencing
• In brief
• Stamp duty waiver
• Repairs countdown