Suspended sentence for landlord who failed to maintain appliances

A landlord has been given a suspended sentence for failing to maintain gas appliances at a rental property, and repeatedly failing to provide tenants with a landlords’ gas safety record.

Norwich Magistrates Court heard how inspectors from HSE and Gas Safe Register inspected the property in Kings Lynn, Norfolk, in 2017, where they found a gas oven to be at risk and the gas boiler unsafe to use.

The subsequent HSE investigation found landlord Steven Ladell, of Great Hardwood, Blackburn, had failed in his duty to have the gas appliances regularly inspected or maintained, and failed to provide a landlords’ gas safety record for a number of years.

Mr Ladell also failed to comply with an improvement notice issued to him on 13 July 2017, which required he take action to deal with these issues.

Mr Ladell pleaded guilty to breaching Section 21 of the Health & Safety Work etc. Act 1974, and breaching Regulation 36(2) and Regulation 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He received a 20-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years, was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community work, and to pay full costs of £4,146.34.

HSE inspector Paul Unwin said: “Landlords must ensure gas appliances at their tenanted properties are checked by a Gas Safe-registered engineer at least every 12 months, and are maintained in a safe condition. HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”