A LANDLADY has been fined after she failed to comply with an improvement notice.
Jill Ashall, 47, of Greenspring Avenue, Birdwell, was prosecuted at Barnsley Magistrates Court on Thursday after she failed to fit staircase handrails to a property that she owned and rented out.
A housing inspection at Ashall’s private rented property showed that there were no smoke alarms fitted or handrails on the staircases. These are classed as category one and two hazards under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System.
She was served an advisory notice on March 13 2018, which she failed to comply. An improvement notice was then issued on June 22 2018, ordering the smoke alarms and handrails to be fitted.
Smoke alarms were fitted at the property, but the handrails were not. Ashall failed to appear at court, so the prosecution file was heard in her absence.
She was fined two counts of £660 for each missing handrail, plus £646 costs, a total of £1966.
Wendy Lowder, Executive Director of Communities, said: “This prosecution shows our commitment to improving private sector housing for everyone in Barnsley. We will continue to work towards better housing options for both landlords and tenants.
"We will not tolerate unsafe housing for tenants in Barnsley. This successful prosecution should send a strong message to landlords of how committed we are to improving private housing.”
