A Kingston Hill landlord has been ordered to pay more than £5,000 after failing to ensure the safety of her tenants.
Jada Guest
Sysben Shadwary, 52, of Ealing West London, was convicted of breaching shared housing regulations despite previous warnings from the council to improve the condition of the property.
Mrs Shadrawy’s offences included failing to provide fire doors, smoke alarms and emergency lighting. A thorough inspection of the property also revealed dangerously exposed wiring, rotting windows and excessive damp.
Heavily fined
Mrs Shadrawy pleaded guilty to four offences under the Housing Act at Richmond Magistrates Court and was fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £1,720 in costs.
Kingston Council Property Inspection Team has emphasised the need for an increase in the promotion of good practice within the private renting sector as well as highlighting their determination to protect the rights of tenants.
58% of tenants read their agreement
A large number of the problems between landlords and tenants are reported in relation to the returning of deposits.
A recent survey from My Deposits, a tenancy protection scheme, showed that only 58 per cent of tenants read their agreement before signing and a further 64 per cent failed to check the inventory at the beginning of their tenancy.
Sean Hooker, business development manager at My Deposits, said that tenants must: “read carefully both the tenancy agreement and inventory as they contain essential information,” in order to avoid future problems.
For guides to negotiation or for more information about disputes, deposits and deductions visit the My Deposits landlord, agent or tenant pages.