A LANDLORD will pay £2,450 after admitting he failed to safely maintain an East Oxford home.

Oxford City Council said Asim Ali’s House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) was found in a poor state of disrepair when it was checked in a routine inspection to see if he was complying with licence conditions and management regulations.

The inspection of the Boundary Brook Road property in September last year found the landlord had failed to display fire escape notices, not installed a handrail or bannister on the stairs, not kept parts clean or decorated, and light fittings were also inadequate.

He was also guilty of failing to display his details in the house.

Ali, also of Boundary Brook Road, appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday, May 19, and admitted five breaches of the Management of HMO Regulations Act, which had been uncovered by city council HMO enforcement officers in the September visit.

The 30-year-old pleaded not guilty to three similar charges and they were dropped at the court hearing.

The city council prosecuted the case but said Ali’s solicitor had shown the court photos to demonstrate the repair work that has been taking place within the property since the officers inspected.

Magistrates fined Ali £300 for each of the five breaches and also ordered him to pay £950 towards the council’s costs. He was also told to pay a £30 victims’ surcharge.

Oxford City Council leader Bob Price said: “Our policy is to raise the quality of our private rented property sector.

“We have a successful scheme with more than 3,500 properties currently licensed to our standards but where landlords don’t conform to the requirements we’re prepared to be very tough on the areas where deficiencies are detected.”

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