Fine issued after flats called "dangerous... defective... inadequate"

The owner of a series of flats to let in Cardiff has been fined £3,500 and ordered to pay £200 costs and a £50 victim surcharge after the properties were made the subject of prohibition orders by the city’s council.

Mark Esposti, from the city, pleaded guilty at Cardiff Magistrates Court to five charges of failing to comply with regulations related to the management of houses in multiple occupation; one charge of failure to comply with a notice requiring the provision of information and one charge of failing to comply with a notice requiring the submission of documents regarding a rented property. 

An inspection of four flats at Adamsdown in Cardiff in January of this year identified dangerous layouts, severe damp, a defective fire alarm system, dangerous electrical installations with exposed live wires, a lack of natural light and ventilation to some rooms, inadequate security and inadequate or defective heating systems. 

As a result of this inspection prohibition orders were made in respect of three flats and improvement notices were served regarding the fourth flat and the common areas. The tenants of two occupied flats were re-housed by Cardiff council 

In addition, notices were served on Esposti requiring him to provide information on all the people with an interest in the property so that they could be notified of the action taken by the council; Esposti was also asked to submit gas safety, electrical and fire alarm certificates.

He failed to comply with these notices.