A landlord has been sentenced for failing to maintain gas appliances at a rental property in Norwich and repeatedly failing to provide his tenants with a Landlords Gas Safety Certificate.

Norwich Magistrates Court heard that inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Gas Safe Register inspected a property at Kings Lynn in Norfolk in 2017 where they found a gas oven to be ‘at risk’ and the gas central heating boiler to be unsafe to use. The subsequent investigation found the landlord, Mr Steven Ladell, had failed in his duty to have the gas appliances regularly inspected or maintained, and failed to provide a Landlords Gas Safety Certificate for a number of years, all of which are legal requirements.

In addition, Mr Ladell failed to comply with an Improvement Notice issued on 13 July 2017 which required he take action to deal with these issues. Mr Steven Ladell of Great Harwood, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 21 of the Health & Safety Work etc. Act 1974 and breaching Regulation 36(2) and Regulation 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He received a 20-week custodial sentence, suspended for two years, was ordered to carry out 100 hours of unpaid community work and to pay full costs of £4,146.34.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Unwin said:

“Landlords must ensure gas appliances at their tenanted properties are checked by a Gas Safe Register engineer at least every 12 months, and are maintained in a safe condition. The HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards”

By Patrick Mooney, editor