A LANDLORD who refused to improve squalid and dangerous conditions in his property has been prosecuted.

Southend Council’s private sector housing team took Victor Robbins, of Rayleigh Road, Leigh to court after he refused to carry out vital work on a first floor flat in Burdett Avenue, Westcliff.

Southend magistrates found him guilty in his absence and fined him £2,500, along with a £120 victim surcharge and £670 in costs.

The housing team received complaints from the tenants of the property in February 2014, about damp and a lack of action by Mr Robbins.

An enforcement officer inspected the property in March and confirmed the property was suffering from severe penetrating damp and excess cold due to a lack of provision of fixed controllable heating. The internal and external stairs were in a hazardous state and the gas boiler had not been serviced for a number of years.

The case was also forwarded to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), who have brought their own prosecution case against the landlord.

David Norman, councillor responsible for adult social care, health and housing, said: “It is not acceptable for landlords to brazenly ignore improvement notices like this and I am delighted with this outcome.

“National regulations are in place for a reason and our private sector housing team are tenacious in their investigations. I hope that this sends a message to other landlords out there who are not complying with their duties.”

The council will now carry out the work needed so that the tenants of the property will have heating in the living room and to make the stairs in the property safe. Once the work has been completed the council will recover the costs along with an administrative fee of 30 per cent which covers the officer costs involved with the action.

There is also a further Housing Act 2004 Improvement Notice served on Mr Robbins regarding the freehold issues at the property involving repairs to the roof. This notice is due to expire in March 2015.

The HSE is prosecuting Mr Robbins for failure as a landlord to have the gas appliances at the property serviced within the last twelve months and failure to comply with an Improvement Notice requiring him to have the gas appliances serviced by a competent person.

Anyone with any problems which a landlord has failed to rectify should contact the council with details about the problems and contact information at council@southend.gov.uk If your landlord or letting agent is a SEAL member (South East Alliance of Landlords, Agents & residents) you should inform SEAL of the problems at info@southeastalliance.org or ring 07722 600 639.