Beeston landlord fined £25k for leaving vulnerable tenants in horror house

Landlord Jack Collins, of Woodlea Road in Yeadon, has been fined for the fourth time for failing to properly manage his rental properties.

On November 18, he was found guilty of leaving vulnerable tenants in appalling conditions at a property on Sefton Terrace in Beeston.

Mr Collins left the horror house with defective fire doors and a broken fire alarm, exposed electrical cables, rotten windows and no heating or hot water. One tenant was left without washing facilities for six months.

Leeds Council ruled that Mr Collins had left tenants in considerable distress, forcing them to live day to day in sub-standard conditions.

The rogue landlord was fined £25,324.60 for failing to maintain the property. Mr Collins had already been prosecuted for offences at the same property in December 2018 and had to pay £8,655 in fines and costs.

He has also been fined on two other occasions, racking up £59,217 in fines over the four prosecutions.

Councillor Debra Coupar, Leeds City Council’s executive member for communities, said: "It was unacceptable to expect vulnerable people at this property in Beeston to live day to day in appalling conditions, resulting in considerable distress for the tenants, due to the behaviour of this landlord.

"Landlords have a responsibility in law, and to their tenants, to ensure that they adhere to and comply fully with the housing regulations including proper and timely management.

"In this particular case, like previous occasions, this landlord fell considerably short of the standard expected, which is why we pursued this action through the courts that resulted in the court ordering him to pay over £20k.

"The safety of our residents remains our top priority and I want to send out the clear message that we will seek to use a range of enforcement tools if, as in this case, legislation has been disregarded by a landlord and a resident is living in a property that is substandard."

Mr Collins' property on Sefton Terrace is one of two recently designated 'Selective Licensing' areas - a Leeds Council initiate to improve the standard of rented homes in part of Beeston and Harehills.

From January 6, any person renting out a property in these areas will need apply for a licence or they could be fined.

Coun Coupar added: "I’d like to encourage all private landlords in these areas to make sure they have completed a licence application and paid the first part of the fee by January 6, 2020."

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