Birmingham landlord fined £20k after breaching housing regulations

A Birmingham landlord has been fined nearly £20,000 after pleading guilty to failing to obtain a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence and to 13 breaches of HMO Management Regulations.

George Lindsay, 55, from Erdington, was prosecuted by Birmingham City Council, which had worked with the Police to initially gain access to one of the three properties he owns.

When council officers inspected the house, they were so concerned about the lack of fire precautions they contacted West Midlands Fire Service (WMFS).

The council said that almost all of the smoke detectors were missing from the house, putting the lives of the 10 people - including four children - who lived there in danger. WMFS oversaw the immediate installation of a working fire alarm system.

Other offences included a failure to license one of his properties, scorched electrical fittings, missing and inadequate fire doors, mattresses blocking fire escape routes and a failure to provide gas and electrical test certificates.

Robert James, acting director for neighbourhoods at Birmingham City Council said, “In the middle of a national housing crisis it’s absolutely disgraceful that landlords, like Mr Lindsay, are taking advantage of people in this unscrupulous way. When the council is made aware of properties like these, we’ll do all that we can to pursue rogue landlords and to ensure that tenants are kept safe and their rights to decent housing are upheld.

“HMO properties can be a great means to providing affordable housing and we’ll continue to work closely with the landlords who provide a fantastic service. However, we must ensure that standards are upheld so that citizens in Birmingham get the housing which they deserve.”

Birmingham City Council previously prosecuted Lindsay in February 2010 for failure to license two of the properties.

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