Agent and landlord given fines over £22,000 after council action

A letting agent and landlord have been fined a total of more than £22,000 for failing to provide acceptable living conditions at a flat in east London.

Phil Davies Estate Agents and landlord Wilson Kehinde Gbadegesin were convicted after ignoring multiple notices to take action.

Living conditions at the flat in Butteridges Close, Dagenham (main picture), included an infestation of bed bugs, and damp and mould throughout the property, especially around the bathroom window and ceiling.

An enforcement officer from Barking and Dagenham Council found only one working heater, no smoke detection alarms and broken lights.

There was a broken front door with locks so old it wasn’t possible to make the flat secure.

According to the council, the officer also found issues in the kitchen where all the cupboards were in disrepair and the oven was not working.

The plug for the oven was poorly positioned and secured with duct tape, which the council said would have increased the risk of fire.

Come down hard

Both the agent and Gbadegesin, of Shooters Hill Road, Blackheath, were convicted at Barkingside Magistrates Court in their absence of offences including failing to comply with notices and not licensing the property.

The judge ordered Gbadegesin to pay a total of £11,223.50 and Phil Davies Estate Agents of Church Road, Leyton, £11,000.

I’m really pleased that someone had the guts to report them to us.”

Councillor Syed Ghani, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, says: “Nobody should be living in such unacceptable conditions, and I’m really pleased that someone had the guts to report them to us.

“We don’t stand for this sort of behaviour from landlords and will continue to come down hard on anyone who refuses to provide quality living conditions for their tenants.

“I hope these fines send a warning to any other landlords who are not obeying our rules.”

Read more about enforcement fines.