November 2, 2016 11.39 am This story is over 88 months old

Lincoln landlord fined for ‘extremely dangerous’ rental property

A Lincoln man has been slapped with a fine after his rental property was found with dangerous electrics, no heating, chronic damp and a leaking roof. Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard that landlord Joe Burgess, of Newark Road, Lincoln had failed to comply with housing regulations for his rental in Newtoft, north of the city. West…
Lincoln Magistrates Court on the High Street. Photo: File/The Lincolnite

A Lincoln man has been slapped with a fine after his rental property was found with dangerous electrics, no heating, chronic damp and a leaking roof.

Lincoln Magistrates’ Court heard that landlord Joe Burgess, of Newark Road, Lincoln had failed to comply with housing regulations for his rental in Newtoft, north of the city.

West Lindsey District Council prosecuted him in his absence on Wednesday October 26.

Burgess made the property available to a tenant, despite it being in a very poor state of repair.

The property had extremely dangerous electrics, no heating system, excessive damp, a leaking roof and no fire detection.

West Lindsey District Council served notices on the landlord but after he failed to comply, the council incurred considerable costs making the property safe for occupation.

Burgess was found guilty and fined £440, and ordered to pay £400 legal costs, £376 investigation costs and a victim surcharge of £44.

WLDC Councillor Sheila Bibb.

WLDC Councillor Sheila Bibb.

Councillor Sheila Bibb, chairman of the council’s Prosperous Communities Committee said: “This is the second successful prosecution we have undertaken this year and demonstrates the council’s commitment to tackling criminal and rogue landlords.

“We hope this case sends a clear message to landlords that we will use all of the powers available to us if they do not comply with our requests when we serve formal notices. Nobody should have to live in unsafe accommodation in the district.

“In this day and age there is no excuse for landlords who choose to ignore the law and we intend to continue to pursue them wherever their properties may be in our district. I would like to thank officers for their excellent work on this case.”

If any tenants have issues of disrepair within their property that are not being addressed by their landlord they can report these to the council using the online forms at www.west-lindsey.gov.uk