Scunthorpe landlord fined £5k after dangerous violations left tenant in unsafe conditions
He’s been to court over three of his other properties too
The property on Reginald Road in Scunthorpe had many issues that the landlord failed to address, leaving the tenant in danger. | Photo: North Lincolnshire Council
A Scunthorpe landlord has been fined more than £5,000 for numerous safety violations at one of his properties, not long after being in court over issues at three of his other houses.
The building on Reginald Road was found to have a number of serious health and safety breaches when North Lincolnshire Council officers visited the property.
The violations included a cracked light switch, dangerous plug sockets with exposed wires, cracks, mould and damp on walls, a lack of fire doors and alarms, fire escape routes blocked with debris and furniture, a broken step and worn floor coverings causing trip hazards, as well as a lack of bins.
A total of nine different charges were put against the landlord, including dangerous loose wires. | Photo: North Lincolnshire Council
The landlord, Amarjit Singh, of Ferry Road in Scunthorpe, was fined a total of £3,300, plus £1,769.75 in costs and a £190 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to nine charges at Grimsby Magistrates’ Court.
Singh has also recently appeared in court in relation to three other properties he owns in Scunthorpe, where violations were believed to have put the tenants’ lives at risk. He was fined £3,607 on this occasion.
Large amounts of mould and damp were reported on the walls of the house. | Photo: North Lincolnshire Council
Councillor John Davison, cabinet member for safer, stronger communities – urban, said: “North Lincolnshire Council is dedicated to keeping people safe and well in their homes and communities.
“Because the vast majority of landlords in North Lincolnshire take their responsibilities seriously and provide safe, good quality accommodation, we will always pursue people like Mr Singh.
“Our officers work long and hard making sure people like him fulfil their obligations and obey the law.”
North Lincolnshire Council are clamping down on incidents like this, and have offered housing advice for tenants on their website.
As well as this, you can contact the Environmental Health and Housing team by calling 01724 297000 or emailing [email protected] if your landlord has not reasonably responded to a complaint.
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The final in the latest series of road closures for works on the A1, as part of the Grantham Southern Relief Road project, has been temporarily postponed
A weekend northbound A1 closure was due to be in place between 8pm on Friday, May 20 and 6am on Monday, May 23.
However, Lincolnshire County Council said the closure has been temporarily postponed and once new dates have been confirmed they will be shared.
Works on phase three began in April this year, with the council anticipating that winter 2023 will be the completion date for the relief road.
This will be with the view to reduce congestion and carbon emissions, and provide opportunities for growth in the local economy.
The £102 million Grantham Southern Relief Road project has been led by Lincolnshire County Council, supported by South Kesteven District Council, Highways England, Greater Lincolnshire LEP, Network Rail, Homes England, the Department for Transport and local business contributions.
Safety improvements have been carried out at corner where numerous accidents have occurred in East Keal.
The council is looking into what else can be done to prevent motorists from coming off the road at Hall Corner, while police are looking into the possibility of fitting a speed camera.
A cement lorry recently overturned on the corner in February.
Lincolnshire County Council has found a slight dip in the road where Blacksmith Lane meets the A16 could be the reason why heavy vehicles travelling at excessive speed are tipping over.
It is considering whether to smooth out and realign the road, but says it is concious of the impact that closing the A16 would have on traffic and local businesses.
Several safety improvement measures have already been put in place, including ‘slow’ markings, enhanced bend warning signs and improved chevrons.
Problems have been found with the road surface on the corner. | Photo: Google Street View
Lincolnshire Police are assessing whether a speed camera on the corner would be beneficial, and will be taking speed readings in the coming weeks.
Larger barriers and longer safety fencing have been proposed by the public. However, the county council says that in order for it to be big enough to withstand the impact of overturned vehicles, the cost can’t be justified.
Either the local parish council or the country council could also explore whether to fund a reactive speed sign on the location.
Richard Davies, executive member for highways, said: “We are very thankful to the residents and members of the parish council who have given us their ideas and support in what can be done at Hall Corner. Local knowledge and personal feedback are cornerstones of what we do in terms of delivering the best solutions in the most informed way.
“There has already been much done at this bend to try and mitigate the issues faced and we now have more planned for this particular area that will go on to encourage all road users to drive accordingly in line with the road and conditions.
“I would like to thank everyone involved so far for their input. We will all work together to get the best resolution we can for Hall Corner.”
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