Isaac Odeniran, 44, of Parkmead, Loughton, who is the Director of Abundant Life Housing Association, was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay more than £4,000 costs and a £15 victim surcharge for failing to comply with an Improvement Notice for major repairs at a flat. (Detailed Case Summary Available)
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Mr Odeniran had denied the charge, made under Section 30 of the Housing Act 2004, but JPs convicted him of the offence when he appeared at Southend Magistrates, Court on Friday 10th February.
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council served the notice on Mr Odeniran on Tuesday 5th April last year after he failed to carry out crucial repairs needed at the first floor flat in Gainsborough Avenue .
However, when Environmental Health Officers visited the flat again on Monday 15th August they discovered none of the repairs had been completed.
The repairs list included connecting the toilet pan and wash basin to a cold water supply.
Previously it had been plumbed in to the hot water supply instead, and could have potentially scalded anyone flushing the toilet when the heating was on.
Mr Odeniran – whose housing association provides accommodation for some of the Borough’s most vulnerable tenants – was also ordered to:
- repair holes around the gas flue to stop the risk of fumes coming into the property
- repair a power socket to prevent shocks
- repair or renew an insecure external door and bedroom door to make sure these closed properly
- repair or renew defective windows to reduce draughts and internal dampness and
- to clean down all areas affected by mould to reduce the risk of exposure to mould spores.
Six months before the improvement notice was formally issued Abundant Life Housing Association had pledged to ask its contractor to look into the works as soon as possible.
Despite this written promise, and the knowledge that the repairs must be carried out before the property was let out again, Mr Odeniran re-let the property to a new tenant without rectifying any of the faults, thereby exposing a second family to the same hazards. The Council then proceeded to prosecute him.
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council’s Executive Councillor for Adult Social Care, Health and Housing, Councillor Lesley Salter, said: “It is paramount for any landlord to ensure that their accommodation is safe for their tenants.
“As this case illustrates, we will take action against landlords who fail to do so.”
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