UNINHABITABLE: Kings Langley resident fined £4,000 after renting out property unsuitable for habitation

Deborah King, of Rucklers Lane, Kings Langley, was fined £4,000 for failing to comply with a Prohibition Order under the Housing Act 2004.

DBC was first notified of the outbuilding in Rucklers Lane after a complaint about an illegal eviction in 2021. After further investigations and a visit to the property, officers found that the building had been converted into a self-contained unit and was being rented out.

The building did not have planning permission or meet building regulation standards for residential use. It had no fixed heating, inadequate insulation, a lack of ventilation, and a number of other hazards meaning it was unsuitable for habitation.

A Prohibition Order was made on the property on May 10, 2022, prohibiting the use of the outbuilding for residential use (to come into force on June 8, 2022). A site visit carried out under warrant on July 15, 2022, found that the unit was still in occupation and communications with the landlord demonstrated that there would be no compliance in regard to the order.

At the hearing at St Albans Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, March 1, 2023, the landlord failed to attend and was found guilty in their absence. They were ordered to pay a fine of £4,000, costs of £1,784 and a victim surcharge of £190.

Councillor Margaret Griffiths, DBC’s portfolio holder for housing services, said: “The council is committed to raising the standards of the private sector in line with our commitments to ensure all residents of the borough have a safe home to reside in. This successful prosecution demonstrates the impact if a landlord is found not to be complying with regulatory requirements.  Should a resident or a landlord have any concerns about housing standards or their obligations, I would encourage them to contact the Private Sector Housing Team.”

Find more information about the Private Sector Housing Team here: www.dacorum.gov.uk/home/housing/private-housing