A landlord has been fined and sentenced to a 12-month community order for failing to maintain gas appliances at a rental property.
Colchester Magistrates' Court heard how the landlord failed in her duty to have the gas appliances at her rental property in Essex regularly inspected and maintained, and failed to provide a Landlord Gas Safety Record, which are all legal requirements.
The landlord also failed to comply with an Improvement Notice issued by a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector, which required her to take action to deal with these issues.
She pleaded guilty to breaching the Gas Safety Installation and Use Regulations SI 1998/2451 and the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. She was sentenced to a 12-month community order and 100 hours of unpaid work and ordered to pay costs of £32,292.05 and a victim surcharge of £85.
HSE inspector, Carla Barron, said: "Landlords must ensure gas appliances at their tenanted properties are maintained in a safe condition and are checked by a Gas Safe Register engineer at least every 12 months".
"HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards".
