A Cardiff landlord has been ordered to pay over £25,000 by a court after failing to repair several issues at four rented flats. Sohail Baig, 65, was convicted at Cardiff Magistrates Court for 18 offences relating to a rental property in Ferry Road, Grangetown.
The case came to light when Cardiff Council received complaints from tenants about the four-storey Victorian terraced property, which is made up of four maisonettes. Baig, 65, from Cyncoed Road in Cardiff did not attend court on October 27 2022 but was convicted in his absence for all 18 offences. Mr Baig was sentenced at Cardiff Magistrates’ Court on Friday, January 27.
After the complaints a council inspection took place and a significant number of breaches were found, including a defective fire alarm system, damaged kitchen work surfaces, unsafe kitchen layouts, an insecure toilet and defective floor coverings.
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The inspections also found a lack of handrails for stairs, insecure handrails, unsafe guardings on landings, low level windows which presented a risk of falls, unsafe electrical installations and an insecure entrance door. He was also found to allow accumulations in the garden which could attract rodents. Mr Baig was given eight days to fix or replace the boiler, which he failed to do. The council installed a new boiler, invoiced the cost to his home address, and started the legal action to prosecute him through the courts.
Cllr Lynda Thorne from Cardiff Council said: “The majority of private sector landlords provide a very good service to their tenants, but there are a minority that fall short of the legal standards. As a landlord, you have responsibilities to ensure that the properties that are rented out are safe for people to live in. This one clearly wasn’t, so we will continue to monitor the situation to ensure that the defects are repaired for the tenants living at this property.”
Baig was fined, £23,750 for all 18 offences, ordered to pay £450 in costs and a victim surcharge of £1,200.
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