Landlord Fined £6,000 for Ignoring Vital Safety Improvements – What Today’s Laws Mean for You

Environmental health officers inspected the property, which was a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), and found a series of major hazards:

• No effective smoke detection or fire alarm
• No emergency lighting
• No fire doors or protected escape route
• No firefighting equipment or safe means of escape
• Mould in the shared kitchen and bathroom
• Steep stairs with missing spindles, no handrail, and a torn carpet posing fall risks
• No electrical sockets in one bedroom, leading to trailing cables and overloaded adaptors
• A shared kitchen far too small for the number of occupants
• Dangerous front windows opening fully at floor level with risk of falls to the street

Despite being approached informally to fix these problems, no action was taken, forcing Selby District Council to prosecute.

Landlords must ensure all electrical appliances in their rental properties are safe. If a tenant suffers an injury due to a faulty electrical appliance, the landlord may be held legally responsible. Businesses are required under the Health and Safety at Work Act to maintain safe electrical equipment. Workplaces like offices, restaurants, factories, and schools must conduct regular PAT testing to ensure compliance.