26/04/23

A Cardiff landlady has been ordered to pay just over £3,000 for failing to comply with the licensing conditions for a property that was being rented out as a House of Multiple Occupation.

The rented property, 50 Ninian Road in Plasnewydd, is a three storey, Victorian, terraced house made up of eight bedsits with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Mrs Nayer Javedfrom Penylan Place, Cardiff pleaded guilty to one offence on October 13^th, 2022. The management company, Umbrellas Homes Ltd and the sole directorMr Farshid Mansouri from Woodville Road, Cardiff, also pleaded guilty to several seperate offfences under the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Wales) Regulations. Both Umbrella Homes Ltd. and Mr Mansouri were also ordered to pay just under £2,500 each at the sentencing hearing last week(April 20^th, 2023).

During the sentencing last Thursday, the court heard that Mrs Javed, from Penylan Place, Cardiff, licensed the property in June 2019, but was informed that a new upgraded fire alarm system, new fire doors for the bedrooms and adequate fire protection around the electricity meters had to be installed to ensure the property was safe and compliant with the legislation.

A subsequent inspection by council officers in December 2021 revealed that the works hadn't been completed and other faults were also identified, including:

• The existing fire alarm system was defective.
• Fire doors were damaged and defective.
• Fire extinguishers that hadn't been serviced for over 12 months
• Broken and leaking gutters
• Rotting kitchen work surface
• Unsafe electrical installations, and;
• Flammable materials obstructing the escape route.

Councillor Lynda Thorne, Cabinet Member for Communities at Cardiff Council said: "The majority of private sector landlords provide a very good service for their residents, but unfortunately there is a minority that do not.

"When we take these matters to court, we do this to benefit the residents living at these properties, so that the faults identified are fixed and the properties are safe to live."

Mrs Nayer Javed was fined £1,830, ordered to pay £1,000 in costs with a victim surcharge of £183.

Both Umbrella Home and the directorMr Farshid Mansouriwere fined £1,080, ordered to pay £1,250 and a victim surcharge of £108 each.

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