Landlord left with £13k bill for hazardous house

Action by Islington Council has left a local landlord with a bill of over £13,000, after the north London local authority found a series of hazards – including a lack of fire alarm, insecure handrails and banisters, and rotten window frames – in the multiple occupancy property.  

 

An inspection from Islington Council’s environmental health team uncovered a number of management issues, including failure to supply a test certificate for the property’s electric installations and also a House of Multiple Occupancy licence. 

 

A window in disrepair, a hole in the wall, and dirty kitchen extractor fans were also observed during the inspection last autumn. 

 

Despite council officers issuing the owner with an ‘Improvement Notice’, obliging him to carry out repairs on the property, at 23 Hillrise Road in Crouch Hill, these problems remained unresolved. 

 

On April 27 2017 property owner Mr Erdal Korkmaz, of Durants Park Avenue, Enfield, pleaded guilty to: operating an unlicensed HMO; failing to comply with an Improvement Notice; and failing to comply with certain requirements of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006.

 

Mr. Korkmaz was ordered by Highbury Magistrates’ Court to pay fines totalling £12,000 along with costs of £1,124 and a victim surcharge of £100.

 

Islington Council’s service director of public protection, Jan Hart, said: “The condition of this property was totally unacceptable. We are committed to ensuring Islington residents have decent homes to live in and we will take action against landlords providing unsuitable properties.”

 

If you are privately renting and you have health and safety concerns about your home you can contact the Residential Environmental Health team on 020 7527 3083 or visit https://www.islington.gov.uk/contactresidentialenvironmentalhealth. 

 

For any health and safety, management or licensing concerns within HMOs you can contact the councils HMO team on 020 7527 3205 or visit https://beta.islington.gov.uk/housing/landlords/houses-in-multiple-occupation.