A NEWPORT landlord who flouted letting rules by failing to keep one of their properties in a good state of repair, blocking fire exists and a range of other offences has been fined £6,574.

Sanu Miah of Alexandra Road was due to appear at Newport Magistrates Court on Friday, April 22, to answer the allegations, but did not turn up and was found guilty of all 12 offences in his absence.

The charges included letting out a property in Alexandra Road as a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO) without a licence, blocking fire exits and failing to provide fire extinguishers and ensure fire alarms were in full working order.

The court also found Miah had not kept the building, as well as its windows, fixtures and fittings, in a good state of repair, did not provide up to date gas and electrical certificates and had failed to display his name, address and contact details in a place accessible by all tenants of the buildings, as required under the Housing Act 2014.

The prosecution was brought following an investigation by Newport City Council’s environmental health department in 2013, which found Miah was letting out the property in Alexandra Road as a HMO without a licence.

Officers found the building contained three separate flats, and therefore qualified as a HMO, and offered to assist Miah in applying for a licence. But he did not do so and another investigation in 2015 found he was continuing to rent out the three flats, as well as a number of other housing regulation breaches.

Miah was handed 12 separate £440 fines for the various offences and was also ordered to pay £1,250 costs and a £44 victim surcharge, taking the total £6,574.

The council’s cabinet member for regulatory functions Cllr Bob Poole welcomed the prosecution.

“These regulations exist for the safety and welfare of tenants and neighbours,” he said.

“Mr Miah was fully aware of the need to license the property and of the standards he needed to meet.

“He chose to ignore the law and in these circumstances the council will not hesitate to prosecute, sending out a clear message that such conduct will not be tolerated.”

Any suspected breaches of housing regulation can be reported to Newport City Council on 01633 656 656 or via newport.gov.uk.