Landlord Ordered To Pay £4 800 At Cardiff Magistrates Court

A private sector landlord, Khizar Choudry, 72, from Penylan Road in Cardiff was ordered to pay £4800 at Cardiff Magistrates Court yesterday. This sentence relates to Choudry failing to keep his property, 42 Penylan Road, in a fit and proper state to rent to his tenants, when the property was rented out in 2015. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The case was scheduled for a two day trial, but prior to the commencement, Choudry pleaded guilty to 11 offences of breaching the Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Additional Provisions)(Wales) Regulations 2007, one offence under Section 236 of the Housing Act 2004 and a further offence under the Local Government Act (Miscellaneous Provisions) 1976. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The offences related to his property, 42 Penylan Road, which at the time of the offending was rented out to tenants. In mitigation, Choudry’s Barrister advised the court that the defendant is 72 years old and a family man. He is also a diabetic and has suffered from depression due to a number of bereavements in the family. The property had been held by him in trust for his children and had been transferred into their ownership in September 2015. It was made clear that the property is no longer rented out and is being used as a family home. The defendant had fully co-operated with the investigation and many of the offences he had simply been unaware of. Choudry accepted that the property had deteriorated over a period of time and that he should have inspected the property more regularly. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In sentencing District Judge Bodfan Jenkins accepted that the defendant was 72 years old with no previous convictions. He accepted that the defendant was no longer a landlord and there was no risk of further offending. He accepted that these offences were regulatory in nature but that the legislation existed to protect the safety of tenants. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

District Judge Bodfan Jenkins went on to say that Choudry ignored his duty as a landlord and believed this was quite clearly a family business with the defendant as the figurehead. Choudry failed to ensure that he, a family member or an agent inspected the property or ran the business in a safe or legitimate manner. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Khizar Choudry was fined a total of £1867.50 and ordered to pay £2938.00 in costs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​