Prosecution by city council sees landlord ordered to pay £400k for safety failures

June 28, 2018

A prosecution brought by City of Lincoln Council has seen a landlord in Lincoln fined £400,000 for failing to comply with fire, health and safety standards in two of his properties.

The local authority said it was thought to be one of the biggest financial penalties ever handed out for such a case in Britain.

A judge at Lincoln Magistrates Court this week ordered Bijan Keshmiri of Wragby Road, Lincoln to pay £404,886.90 in fines and costs for a total of 28 offences in respect of four self-contained flats on Rosemary Lane and a property converted into two self-contained flats on Spa Buildings.

The defendant used the flats as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) to accommodate 15 tenants in the building on Rosemary Lane and six at the property on Spa Buildings.

Cllr Ric Metcalfe, Leader of City of Lincoln Council, said: “This prosecution sends out a clear signal that this kind of behaviour will not be tolerated in our city.

“It’s pleasing to see justice has been served against this offender who has, time and time again, exploited his tenants by making them live in appalling conditions, surrounded by many fire and health hazards.”

Cllr Metcalfe added: “Many landlords in Lincoln offer properties of a high standard, but to those who don’t, we hope that a fine of this scale will deter them from putting their tenants in such danger.

“I would like to thank the Legal and Private Housing teams at City of Lincoln Council for all of their hard work on this case and in ensuring such a significant outcome.”