Two rogue landlords have been fined over £30,000 after knowledgeable building surveyor students renting their property in Mapperley Park exposed their lack of safety standards to local authorities.
Mr Irfan Tariq and Mrs Sajadah Tariq, of Ringwood Crescent, Wollaton, were found guilty for multiple breaches of safety standards and lack of licensing at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on November 12.
Council authorities were alerted to the property after the group of students raised concerns with Nottingham Trent University’s Student Advice Centre and a Fire Officer. Safer Housing officers then decided to visit the former nursing home at Corporation Oaks in Mapperley Park.
When officers called round to the property, Mrs Tariq was present and stated there was no one living there, although there were belongings relating to tenants including mobile phones and laptops on charge. Mrs Tariq stated these belongings had been left by former tenants and she was going to get rid of them.
When a warrant was granted and entry gained, the property was found to be occupied by seven international students on the upper floors and five building surveyor students on the ground floor.
There were many contraventions of The Housing Act 2004 and The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 which included items of disrepair and management issues such as a live electrical cable protruding out of a kitchen floor and a kitchen fire door removed. Further breaches include an escape exit door screwed shut, dirty conditions in kitchens, no heating and the fire alarm system was not working.
The Tariqs were both found guilty in their absence. This was Mr Tariq’s second offence for similar Housing Act related offences.
In summing up, the District Judge commented that it was unfortunate for them that the Tariqs had taken on building surveyor students in their final year who had knowledge of building failures and rightly complained of the conditions they were living in. This was in contrast to the vulnerable international students who were living in worse conditions on the upper floors. He set the fees as a warning to those who wish to do the same.
Councillor Nicola Heaton, Portfolio Holder for Community Services at Nottingham City Council, said: “The Tariqs were operating a business, and making money from this. If they had applied for a licence the authorities would have ensured the property was to the correct standard before the property was let out. Instead they chose not to, which left young students vulnerable and in a house that was unsafe and not fit for the private rental market.”
