Landlords need to protect the public warns judge

A buy to let investor, in Cambridgeshire, with nearly two hundred properties has been ‘put on notice’ not to repeat shortcomings which led him to compromise an improvement notice served on him in relation to a tenants gas certificate.

Mr Ajay Ahuja pleaded guilty at Northampton Crown Court to contravening Section 33(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 for failing to comply with an Improvement Notice served by HSE. He was served with a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £14,000.

The HSE had made several attempts to get Mr Ahuja to provide the tenant with a gas safety certificate for the gas boiler on a property rented in Corby.
All landlords are obliged under law (the Gas Safety (Installations and Use) Regulations 1998) to check , each year, the safety of gas appliances and provide adequate certification, in any property they rent out to others.

At the hearing, Judge Corrie stressed that the authorities are right to be vigilant saying “For landlords large and small, there is a need to protect the public, particularly those who rent properties, to guard against gas explosions, which are potentially fatal. Not only this, but also asphyxiation.”
After the hearing Neil Craig, Principal Inspector with HSE said: “Every year about 20-30 people die from carbon monoxide poisoning associated with domestic gas appliances, due mainly to these appliances not having been properly installed or maintained.

“We need landlords to ensure their gas appliances are maintained to a safe standard and checked annually, with copies of the gas safety certificate being provided to their tenants.

“Should Mr Ahuja come to our attention again in respect of such matters, we will investigate to establish whether or not he is complying with his duties and if found in breach, return him to the courts.”
 

Commercial Landlords Insurance