Landlords warned not to cut corners

A Nottingham landlord has been fined more than £1,600 after his tenant fell down a "dangerous staircase".

Andrew Watkinson, 50, pleaded guilty to breaching a Prohibition Order made under the Housing Act of 2004. Mr Watkinson was order by Nottingham Magistrates' Court to pay a fine of £484 and costs of £1,157.

Nottingham City Council Community Protection's environmental health team had served the notice on Watkinson in August 2012. However a second visit found that the second floor, which had been banned from rental, was being used and the property had been let out to unsuspecting tenants.

The tenants had already needed to attend accident and emergency following a fall on what the council described as a "dangerous staircase".

Operational manager for environmental health, Martin Cooke, said , a professional landlord, completely ignored the notice for his own financial gain. Works have now been done to remove the risk and we have revoked the prohibition order. The family living in the house have relocated to more suitable accommodation and the landlord has been held accountable for his criminal actions."

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