Landlord ordered to pay £4,500 after failing to fix fire safety issues with rented flats

A Cardiff landlord failed to rectify faults relating to two flats he owns in Cardiff, a court has heard. The flats, on Claude Road in Plasnewydd, had problems with fire and general safety measures but landlord Christopher Harper, from Spencer David Way, Trowbridge, failed to fix them.

The court heard that the fire alarm was defective, there was inadequate structural fire protection and the front door was insecure, despite Harper being served with legal notices to fix them following a prosecution in September 2022. Harper had also failed to submit gas and electricity certificates for the properties.

Councillor Lynda Thorne, cabinet member for communities at Cardiff Council, said: "The majority of private sector landlords provide a very good service for their residents, but unfortunately there is a minority that do not.

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"When we take these matters to court, we do this to benefit the residents living at these properties, so that the faults identified are fixed and the properties are safe to live. Our officers will continue to act on intelligence that we receive and in this case, we will continue to pursue the landlord until the faults have been rectified."

Harper didn't attend court on Friday February 24, but was convicted in his absence. Charged with failing to comply with operative improvement notices under the Housing Act 2004, he was fined £3,000 and made to pay £360 in costs and a victim surcharge of £1200 for failing to act on the legal notices served.

The fire alarm control panel showing orange fault lights. (Cardiff Council)

The cooker in the ground floor front flat which has no work surface to one side. (Cardiff Council)

Cllr Thorne continued: "This case shows that when we successfully prosecute a private sector landlord, we do follow up these cases to ensure the issues are resolved. In this case, it became clear that Mr Harper wasn't willing to rectify the faults, so legal notices were served on him. Failure to respond and action these legal notices have resulted him being brought court again and ordered to pay a further £4,500.

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