Sutton Pest Control News:
| Sutton landlords cost of cockroaches by paulg on 07/05/2012 |
| A private landlord in Sutton has been fined for allowing his tenants to live in what Sutton Council has described as a home from hell. The landlord who lives in St Albans and owns 5 properties in Sutton, pleaded guilty to eight offences of failing to keep the flat in a good and clean decorative repair. Horrified housing enforcement officers discovered the filthy, mouldy flat, which had a hole in the staircase leading into a workshop below, after complaints from neighbours about the smell that seemed to be coming from the flat. When they investigated they found exposed wires, cupboard doors off their hinges in the kitchen and an infestation of cockroaches. The cockroaches were that vast in numbers, they had spread to neighbouring properties. The problem was brought the councils attention when one of the neighbours reported seeing cockroaches in their kitchen. When council pest control officers went to inspect the reporting property, they knocked on neighbours flats to see if there was any activity there. When the tenant of the infested property opened their door, cockroaches were seen straight away. After just 5 minutes inspecting the flat, it was decided that the councils environmental health officers should be involved called. A spokesperson for Sutton council said: “We both need to and will, ensure that private sector rented residential properties are well managed and meet a good standard. We do have good landlords in Sutton and we want to work with them. There are also some bad ones and these are the ones we are targeting. We will not accept private sector tenants being directly exploited by landlords who make them live in dangerous and unacceptable conditions.” The landlord was fined £2,750 and ordered to pay costs of £700. The flat has been deemed unfit for safe living and the landlord has been ordered to do all repairs and to make the property fit for purpose within three months or face possible imprisonment. |