Jail threat for landlord who broke gas safety laws

A block of flats was evacuated and a young girl spent the night in hospital after dangerous carbon monoxide gas escaped from a faulty boiler in a rented flat. The eight-year-old and her parents were treated in hospital after the gas escape triggered an alarm in the flat above their ground-floor home in Catford, South London. Westminster Magistrates Court heard how the carbon monoxide spread and led to the evacuation of the entire block of flats, as well as their disconnection from the gas supply. Landlord David MacDonald, of Camberwell Green, London, pleaded guilty to two separate breaches of the gas safety rules and was sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for two years, ordered to carry out 200 hours community service and to pay £8,211 in costs. Health & Safety Executive inspector Kevin Shorten said of the prosecution: "As a landlord, he is legally responsible for the safety of his tenants in relation to gas checks, and in failing to properly maintain the boiler he placed them, and others, in grave danger. "I hope today's prosecution sends a clear message to all landlords that they mustn't shirk or ignore their responsibilities because the consequences can be devastating." In a separate case, a landlord who ignored repeated requests to supply buy to let gas safety certificates to her local council was ordered to pay £4,500 fines and costs by magistrates. Lichfield Council, Staffordshire, asked Liane Dewsbury to provide the certificates for two letting houses in Queen Street, Burntwood. South Walls Magistrates Court heard council officers asked her to show them proof gas boilers had undergone annual safety checks. Eventually, the council issued improvement notices for each house, but Dewsbury still failed to produce one of the certificates by the deadline. The second was delivered four months late. Dewsbury, of Main Road, Milford, Stafford,admitting to breaching gas safety laws and was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay £3,209 costs.

Landlord blog

Sam Dickinson

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