A landlord who failed to tackle serious safety hazards and operated rental properties without the required licences is set to be added to the Rogue Landlord Database following a successful prosecution by Peterborough City Council.

Zahid Hussain was ordered to pay £13,936 after being convicted of housing offences involving a number of properties in Peterborough.

The prosecution followed inspections at a property in Stone Lane, where council officers found damp and mould, electrical and fire safety hazards, and a home that was excessively cold.

They were also unable to find any evidence that the property’s gas appliances, boiler or electrical installations met current safety requirements.

Improvement notice

Despite being served with improvement notices requiring the defects to be addressed, Hussain failed to carry out the work.

In addition, the council found Hussain was managing properties in St Paul’s Road that required licences under Peterborough’s Selective Licensing scheme but had not obtained them.

Hussain did not attend a hearing at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court and was convicted in his absence. He was fined £2,000 for failing to comply with improvement notices and £3,000 for each licensing offence, along with a £3,200 victim surcharge and costs.

I hope that this successful prosecution serves as a warning.”

Councillor Christian Hogg, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services and Enforcement, says: “I hope that this successful prosecution serves as a warning to the small minority of landlords who put their tenants at risk.

“We are fully committed to maintaining safe and well managed housing for residents and will take appropriate enforcement action under the range of powers available to us if we discover landlords or companies who flagrantly disregard the law.”

The council says it will now seek to have him included on the Rogue Landlord Database, which is used to record landlords and property agents who have committed serious housing offences.