Cedric Fitzpatrick – a landlord based in St Helens – has been served with a fine for more than £6,000 after St Helens Magistrates’ Court sentenced him for failing to comply with improvement notices from his local council.
Mr Fitzpatrick is the owner of two neighbouring properties in Morris Street, Sutton, which were both at the centre of the case.
St Helens Council issued the landlord with two notices to make improvements at the properties, under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990, due to the fact that the buildings and the land surrounding them were ‘untidy’.
The court heard that the council had received numerous complaints from nearby residents regarding the external state of the two properties.
Following an inspection by council representatives, it was found that there was sufficient reason to take legal action against the landlord, in order to resolve the issue.
Mr Fitzpatrick was fined £6,160 by St Helens Magistrates’ Court this week after admitting, at an earlier hearing, to ignoring council requests to improve the properties.
In addition to the fine, he was also ordered to pay court charges of £150, costs of £80 and a victim surcharge of £120.
An increasing number of councils across the UK are taking legal action to ensure that landlords or absent property owners comply with their improvement notices, which can range from issues such as aesthetics to health and safety measures.