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Landlord’s fine slashed after fightback against council court move

A landlord who was hit with a £66,000 fine over safety breaches at a rental property has fought back - and will now pay less than 10 per cent.

Mohammed Zamir was taken to court by Reading council late last year over security and fire safety issues.

But at a new hearing six charges against him were withdrawn; he has pleaded guilty to other remaining charges and his penalty has been slashed to £4,151 in fines and costs.

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Zamir requested the case be reopened because he missed the original hearing due to Coronavirus and now the Reading Chronicle reports that Zamir blames his managing agent for the problems that led to the initial case.

He told the Chronicle: “[The judge] accepted my mitigating circumstances which made me ‘technically guilty’ due to the fact that I had inherited the issues due to poor management by my appointed managing agent for which I had no knowledge or control of the defects previously. The managing agent has now been sacked.”

Zamir pleaded guilty to other charges including failure to display a notice identifying the name, address and number of the manager of the property, failure to ensure common parts of the property were in a safe working condition and kept from obstruction, failure to ensure means of escape from fire were kept free from obstruction and in good order, and failure to ensure fire-fighting equipment were maintained in good working order.

A council statement says: “At a trial in December 2020, The Council prosecuted Mr Zamir and he was found guilty by the Courts in his absence. Mr Zamir subsequently successfully applied for the case to be reopened.

“An inspection was carried out on the 31st of March of the property in Short Street by a Senior Environmental Health Officer in the presence of Mohammed Zamir and his solicitor. The property was unoccupied and found to be broadly compliant.

“Mr Zamir subsequently pleaded guilty to 8 charges relating to failures to carry out his duties under the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006.”

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    Would a tenant have been punished in his absence?

    Councils haven't opened dumps, cut grass, opened libraries etc. and have kept staff at home on full pay for no work, but they can still pursue landlords without risking the health of anyone!

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    Very good point. When a antisocial tenant does not even bother to attend court because his professional LL wants to evict him/her for non payment of rent, for illegally keeping a pet, for smoking for dealing in drugs for dealing in stolen goods for fighting for smashing windows, and the adjudicator wants to set another date the system is broke.

     
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    There are some really good managing agents, then there are those that are dreadful, but at the end of the day it is the landlord that carries full responsibility therefore it is very important that we all keep a close eye on our properties personally.

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