Heswall landlords fined for failure to maintain property

Oct 7 2009 Birkenhead News

TWO landlords who failed to maintain their property have been hit with a fine.

Colin Ian Pennington and Catherine Jane Pennington, of Farr Hall Drive, Heswall, pleaded guilty at Wirral Magistrates Court to not complying with council improvement notices.

Their three-storey property at Wellington Road, New Brighton, was riddled with serious faults highlighted in an inspection, including electrical junction boxes with inadequate earthing which had never been checked.

The roof had missing slates which allowed water to run in creating mould and there were poor fire exits giving occupants little or no chance of escape in the event of a fire.

The pair were also unable to present gas certificates to show their system had been checked.

They were fined a total of £8,426, which included the council’s legal costs.

Following the landlords’ refusal to do the works, the authority had to carry out repairs themselves.

Cllr George Davies, cabinet member for housing and community safety, said: “Councils have a duty to act if they are aware of hazards that could affect a tenant’s health or safety and if landlords fail to respond to informal advice, enforcement action will ensue.

“Whilst we always try to work with landlords and give them reasonable timescales to improve property conditions, if they do not co-operate then the Council will take enforcement action like that taken against the Penningtons.”