Landlord Prosecuted For Putting Tenants' Lives At Risk

A landlord has been fined after dangerous defects were found on gas appliances at a property rented out to tenants.

Asif Azam of Whitelands Road, High Wycombe, plead guilty at Aylesbury Crown Court after an investigation by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found he failed to ensure gas fittings, including a wall mounted boiler, at a property he rented out in Hughenden Road were safe.

HSE also found that the gas appliances and flues were not checked annually as required by law.

Mr Azam had received instruction from HSE on gas safety but when a specialist gas inspector visited the property on 21 August 2008, he found many immediately dangerous faults.


The court also heard that following the earlier disconnection of the gas supply at the rented property, Mr Azam had the supply re-instated without any repairs being carried out.

Mr Azam was fined a total of £800 for contravening regulations 36(2) and 36(3)(a) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was also ordered to pay costs of £2000.

After the hearing Stephen Manley, HSE Inspector, said: "It is totally unacceptable to have a property where tenants' lives are threatened because the gas appliances haven’t been properly looked after.

"It is very fortunate that none of his tenants were harmed in what was a dangerous situation for people who lived there. Maintenance was almost absent, but when work was carried out on Mr Azam's behalf it was ineffective – our engineer found a flue elbow fitted the wrong way round."

(CD)