Bill of over £10,000 after "unsafe accommodation" is let to tenants

Sheffield council has prosecuted a private landlord for failing to provide safe accommodation - with a bill of over £10,000 to pay as a result.

The authority took action on Mohammed Fathy Mohamed Khalifa, of Derby, who has been convicted at Sheffield’s magistrates’ court of failing to act on notices issued after his property fell into serious disrepair. 

He was ordered to pay almost £5,000 in fines and court costs on top of almost £6,000 to cover the cost of repair work carried out by the authority.

The court heard that Khalifa rents out a property in Grimesthorpe to a family with two children. A council team was called in to investigate after the children became unwell and concerns were raised about the condition of the house.

Enforcement officers found serious defects in the gas and electricity which could have resulted in serious harm to the family, as well as the boiler not working which left them with no heating or hot water for weeks.

The prosecutor explained that Khalifa was asked to carry out improvement work on a number of occasions. But despite numerous opportunities to co-operate, he chose not to, and refused to carry out essential work to keep the family safe. The council therefore carried out work and the court agreed he should repay the cost of this on top of the fines for refusing to accept his landlord responsibilities.

Khalifa did not attend the court hearing but he was convicted for failure to comply with an Improvement Notice under the Housing Act 2004 and a Notice under the Building Act 1984.