Shropshire landlord fined for dangerous hazards in flats

Thomas Edward Evans converted a house into six flats, and a traveller site on adjacent land, both done without planning permission, the council said

A landlord who let tenants live among potentially life-threatening hazards has been ordered to pay £32,000 in fines and costs.

Thomas Edward Evans ignored council orders to improve the safety of his six flats and a traveller site, both of which were created without planning permission, Telford magistrates heard.

The 84-year-old from Shropshire was not in court to answer seven charges.

Tenants were at risk from unsafe boilers, electrics and mould.

The court heard the condition of flats and caravans at The Oakery in Ashford Carbonell, near Ludlow, meant there was a potential risk to life, with problems also identified with heating, drainage and clean water supplies.

Evans, who lived in a separate property on the site, was prosecuted by Shropshire Council after housing officers investigated a complaint about a faulty boiler in 2017.

They were so concerned by what they found that they inspected all the properties, accompanied by gas engineers and electricians.

Prosecutor Mike Davies said the authority had not known about the planning breaches until it was too late to take enforcement action.

'No progress'

A series of category one hazards, which are deemed potentially life-threatening, as well as others in category two, were identified.

Mr Davies said Evans was issued with an improvement notice ordering that works be carried out to make the homes safe.

Officers subsequently visited the site several times but found "no progress was made by the owner to undertake any of the necessary work," the prosecutor added.

Prohibition notices for each flat and the traveller plot were issued in November 2022 after a further inspection showed conditions had deteriorated.

Magistrates ordered that Evans pay a £3,500 fine for each of the seven breaches of failing to comply with a housing prohibition order, which were proven in his absence, plus the council's costs of £5,507.83 and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

He will also face ongoing fines of £20 per day, per property, if they are occupied from the date of the court hearing.