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Landlord stripped of licence in crackdown
A LANDLORD has been stripped of his licence after a council crackdown on accommodation standards.
Julian Pilkington, of Haddon Road, Bispham, rented out a three-storey property on Lytham Road, South Shore, despite it previously being declared unfit for use.
The house, separated into five flats, had no gas supply, faulty electricity and flouted fire safety standards.
The closure is one of 26 houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) to be
recently shut down by Blackpool Council, with landlords losing their businesses and paying fines of around 100,000.
The house had been visited by fire officials over two years. Pilkington had been issued with a notice – which he ignored – to prohibit letting the property.
A spokesman for the Fire Authority said: "Blackpool has a high concentration of privately rented accommodation and people living in rented or shared accommodation are seven times more likely to have a fire.
"Fire safety is a priority for this partnership with the council and increased intervention will ensure landlords and tenants are aware of their responsibilities."
Blackpool Council leader Peter Callow said: "This prosecution is one of a range of measures being used by Blackpool Council to drive up standards and eliminate poor quality accommodation in the private rented sector.
"Our priority is to protect the health and safety of tenants. Landlords must invest in properties they let out. It is important that fully operating fire safety systems are in place as this saves lives.
"The council will not tolerate landlords who fail to undertake their management responsibilities and will take enforcement action."
Pilkington told the court he would never be a landlord again, but he was not fined because of his inability to pay.
In April, the seven bedroomed Brookfields Hotel, on Wellington Road, South Shore, was forced to shut when the council discovered 30 people living in squalid conditions.
Failure to apply for a licence for an HMO can result in a fine of up to 20,000.
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Weather for Blackpool
Monday 13 February 2012
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Temperature: 3 C to 7 C
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