News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the June / July 2002 issue RPI news archive

In brief - June / July 2002

A gas fitter has been jailed for working without being legally registered, making him the first tradesman to receive a custodial sentence for working without the correct certification. Mark Towle was sentenced to four months imprisonment. He breached a prohibition notice, requiring him not to carry out any work until he had qualified to become CORGI registered. The order followed an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into faulty gas fittings in 1998.

A Falklands veteran is claiming discrimination after his landlord asked him to leave his £52 per week flat, just days after being on the losing end of a court case. The Chester based letting agent Invincible Homes denies the move came as a result of the court action saying that it had been 'under discussion' for the last 12 months. The 40 year old former serviceman had taken action following water damage to his bedroom and possession. The court awarded him £650 in compensation.

The number of buy to let mortgages rose by over 50 per cent last year according to the research group Datamonitor. But things look set to cool off as factors that induced the boom go into reverse, suggested the group.
 

other artilces from the June / July 2002 issue

• Accredited to thrive
• Shelter group calls for landlord tax breaks
• Rat landlord fined
• Lancaster survey excludes landlord involvement
• Tax fiddle landlords jailed
• 'Liar' landlord condemned
• 'Flood of properties' hits rental values
• HMO failure brings fine
• In brief