An Enfield man who housed a tenant in an outhouse unfit for habitation has been ordered to pay over £5,000 in fines and costs following a successful prosecution by Enfield Council. Sanjiv Shah pleaded guilty in May to breaching section 32 of the Housing Act 2004 and failing to comply with a Prohibition Order issued by the Council for renting out as accommodation an outbuilding which lacked heating, insulation and an independent electrical supply.
At a sentencing hearing on 7 June Shah was ordered to pay a fine of £2,600, costs of £2,441.35 and a victim surcharge of £170.
Shah failed to comply with a Prohibition Order served in September 2016 regarding the use of an outbuilding. Inspections highlighted hazards that left the building cold and uninhabitable. Some hazards were assessed as posing a serious threat to the health or safety of people living or visiting the accommodation. Further visits in April and September 2017 confirmed the building was still being rented, despite the Prohibition Order.
In addition, a tenant in the main house had complained that their utility bills were unusually high, suggesting the outbuilding was using their electricity supply.
