Landlords Hit with £171k Fine for Neglecting Urgent Repairs – TNT

Two Worksop landlords who failed to carry out urgent repairs at two of their properties have been ordered to pay a total of £171,964 in fines and costs by Mansfield Magistrates Court.

In January this year, husband and wife Baminy Suresh and Suresh Thanabalsingham, both from Cheapside in Worksop, were found guilty of failing to comply with improvement notices at their properties. This was based on 14 identified hazards that could be harmful to the safety of their tenants which were found by environmental health officers in November 2023, following complaints to the council. These included fire, electrical and structural issues, as well as a large amount of household waste.

The husband and wife manage a property portfolio worth over £1.2 million, with potential annual revenue of around £211,000. They were requested to submit evidence of their financial means ahead of sentencing on 24^th July 2025 but neither of them complied.

Suresh Thanabalsingham was ordered to pay a fine of £70,000 along with a £28,000 victim surcharge and £1,982 in costs. Baminy Suresh was ordered to pay a £50,000 fine, a £20,000 victim surcharge and costs of £1,982.

Both landlords currently have the right to appeal these sentences at Crown Court.

Cllr Lynne Schuller, Cabinet Member for Housing and Estates at Bassetlaw District Council in north Nottinghamshire, commented: “This prosecution sends a clear message to landlords to keep their properties at the required standards or action can be and will be taken against them to safeguard people.

“The effects of living in poor housing conditions can significantly impact tenants mental and physical health as well as their overall quality of life and life chances.

“Landlords have a responsibility to their tenants to provide homes that are safe and warm to live in, a basic right.”