Rogue landlord fined £14k for 'slum' conditions

A Liverpool landlord has been fined almost £14,000 for obliging tenants to live in what have been described by a district judge as "slum" conditions.

Roach Estates and Property Management Ltd, and directors Phillip Range and David Kellard, were found guilty at Liverpool Crown Court on Wednesday 8 January.

It comes after Liverpool City Council said it found serious issues at the property on Goodison Road in Walton in July 2023, including damp and mould growth, exposed wiring, and structural collapse.

The landlord failed a subsequent reinspection by the council in March 2024 and was taken to court, where district judge Wendy Lloyd handed down fines totalling £13,867.31.

Ms Lloyd compared the living conditions to that of a "slum".

Upon visiting the property last year, inspectors said the lardlord "had not taken adequate action to rectify the hazards".

They also found gutters and waste water discharging directly onto the flat roof, and an open fuse box with live wiring and an intermittent electrical supply.

Councillor Sam East, Liverpool City Council's cabinet member for housing, said: "This has truly been a house of horrors for the tenants, who have endured terrible conditions.

"I am pleased that the landlord has been hit hard in the pocket for their negligence in failing to ensure that the property was of a decent standard."

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