Landlord fined £43,000 over rat-infested flat

Hasan Kazi blamed his tenants for the state of the buildings

A landlord has been fined more than £43,000 over "unsafe and filthy conditions" in two of his Bradford properties.

Hasan Kazi blamed his tenants for the state of the buildings and told Bradford Magistrates' Court: "It was hard to understand the depths of their bad behaviour."

Kazi, 76, of Laisteridge Lane, pleaded guilty to nine charges relating to two houses on Easby Road in February.

On Wednesday, he returned to the court to be sentenced for charges including failing to comply with HMO regulations, failure to comply with an emergency prohibition order, and failing to comply with an improvement notice.

Some of the charges related to 8 Easby Road, a terraced property that had been divided into six flats, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

On 29 November 2023, council housing officers received a call from West Yorkshire Fire Service.

A crew had been out to the property and decided the "poor condition" of the building needed to be raised with the council.

Imran Hussain, prosecuting the case on behalf of Bradford Council, said officers found "significant disrepair and serious safety hazards".

He listed some of the issues found by council officers, which included evidence of a rodent infestation, damp and damaged fire doors.

A door in one flat could not close, and the tenant had to prop furniture up against it to keep it shut.

The water storage area for one flat was "ineffective" – with one tenant telling officers they had not had hot water for more than two years.

The premises was inspected in February 2024 and officers saw evidence of cockroaches as well as broken bathroom tiles, broken ceilings, and holes that meant daylight could be seen through some walls.

'Problem tenants'

The court's legal advisor read out a statement prepared by Kazi saying: "My main point I'd like the court to understand is problem tenants."

He said many of his tenants led "chaotic lives" and had issues with drug and alcohol addictions.

He added: "It is hard to understand the depths of their bad behaviour. They destroyed the fabric of the building for no reason."

He said many of his tenants had been sent his way by Bradford Council in an effort to provide homes for rough sleepers.

Explaining why people were still living in his unsafe properties after he had been ordered to close them down, he said: "They wanted to stay put, what was I supposed to do? If I had kicked them out they would have been on the streets.

"With these people, wherever they go they won't be able to live in a civilised manner."

The court heard he owned 12 properties in Bradford, and these brought him £150,000 a year in income. However, he claimed he made no profit from this, and that he had to dip into his private pension to pay bills.

Magistrates said the descriptions of the properties painted a picture of "significant disrepair and filth" but the most significant issue was the fire safety shortcomings in the properties.

They fined Kazi £43,470 and ordered him to pay a £2,000 surcharge and costs to Bradford Council of £2,200.

He has 12 months to pay.

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