Shocking images show the dangerous and damp conditions a landlord allowed a tenant to live in with broken heating.
Swale Borough Council’s pictures (SBC) depict thick mould, vermin entry points, electrical hazards, and damage caused by defective heating and leaks.
The authority released the concerning snaps after the landlord failed to fix a myriad of problems at their Sittingbourne house in London Road within a specified time.
The situation was worsened by missing sealant and a broken extractor fan in the shower room.
Pests were able to get into the property, causing food safety problems due to unsecured storage cupboards.
Added to which, tenants had to put up with uneven flooring and and extreme cold because of the absence of heating.
The landlord, who has not been identified, has been fined £3,000, after he failed to fix the problems despite being served an improvement notice by the council.
Cllr Angela Harrison, chair of the Swale housing and health committee, said: “Everyone has the right to live in a safe home.”
“When people decide to become a landlord that is a responsibility they take on,” she added.
“Regardless of how challenging it may be to make the changes needed, the safety of your tenants must be your top priority and you need to make every effort to fix any hazards within your property.
“Our officers work incredibly hard investigating unsafe homes, working with landlords across Swale to make sure their properties are kept to a safe standard.
“This penalty should serve as a warning to landlords who flout the rules and, by doing so, put their tenants lives at risk.”
Initially, the landlord was hit with a £6,000 fine.
but the figure was reduced on appeal after a judge heard the tenant made it difficult for the landlord’s contractors to enter and carry out repairs.
The judge would not dismiss the case altogether, however, saying the landlord should have employed more robust means to fix the “serious hazards.”
The proceeds of such fines are ringfenced and have to be reinvested into the council’s private housing enforcement efforts to support ongoing inspections and protect vulnerable tenants from unsafe living conditions.
