[kirklancaster]

Landlord fined a whopping £31k over 'noisy pigeons'
By Josh Hall

A landlord has been ordered to pay over £31,000 after failing to deal with ‘noisy pigeons’ in one of their properties.

A court ordered the London landlord to pay £31,026, including £7,638 of compensation, after tenants were woken at 4am daily by cooing pigeons nesting in the loft.

In addition to the pigeons, the officer found a water leak in their second-floor Kilburn flat.

Following the inspection the landlord was served with an improvement notice. But Adilsons Property Limited, the landlord, was found to have failed to comply.

The company received a fine of £12,200, and ordered to pay costs of £5,648. A victim surcharge of £170 was added, plus additional fines and victim compensation.

Reacting to the verdict, a Brent Council representative said: “Landlords are expected to maintain the properties they rent out. Tenants in the private rented sector have a legal right to live in decent conditions.

“We will prosecute landlords and letting agencies that fail to comply with improvement notices. This landlord had plenty of opportunities to carry out the repairs but ignored our requests.”

The Brent case comes in the midst of renewed calls for a crackdown on so-called ‘rogue landlords’.

In December, the government said that it was considering new measures to regulate landlords who let properties to five or more people, under a scheme that would stipulate the maximum number of people who could occupy a room.

Labour has also indicated that it would further regulate the private rented sector, including by giving tenants broader rights to fight eviction.

What do you think? Is the pigeon fine reasonable or ridiculous?

[arista]

He needs to seal the Holes UP

[parmnion]

My first digs had pigeons flapping about inbetween the walls, its horrid and demeaning first thing in the morning.


A simple fix as well for caring landlords.

[Cherie]

The fine does seem excessive, that said if they were given plenty opportunity to address the issue and apart from the noise its a health risk, I don't know anyone who would want a loft full of bird poo, imagine if it got to the point where it brought a ceiling down

[Shaun]

Fairly sure bird droppings are really dangerous for humans to live surrounded by, something to do with respiration (can't remember the specifics), so fair enough really.

[waterhog]

nothing should be able to enter your property and especially not rats with rings. shame on this land lord and I am sure he won't like this and paying out but its only correct.

don't no why land lords don't have nice animals - mine gives me cockroaches in bath to play with and rats in bed room. I read them my poetry and soon leave.

[Blue cat]

It's ridiculous. Pigeons are nice.

[Toy Soldier]

It seems like they were given every opportunity to sort out the problem and just didn't care so I'd say the fine is fair enough. It would be different if it was a problem they had been trying to solve but had been unsuccessful.

Our landlord is pretty sh*t, they never do anything. Some of the frame of the front living room window has weathered away outside... Told them about it in October, they haven't bothered to fix it. Also the stairs carpet is ancient and horrible and they won't replace it, even though it would cost a couple of hundred at most... and I'm sure the whole downstairs would be the same - but we paid for new flooring for the whole downstairs out of our own pocket 3 years ago. We also paid to have a horrible 70's gas fire and surround removed (turned out to be a lovely open fireplace behind it!) and also for a modern gas cooker in the kitchen because the one that was there was disgusting and rated something like K for efficiency... But technically worked and was "safe" so they wouldn't replace.

Meh.

That said... I don't really want to rock the boat with them for a couple of reasons. Their lack of giving a **** about the property is what has given us open permission to decorate etc. as we please (we have it in writing that they don't care ), we've literally never seen them face to face which makes the house feel more like "our home", and also they haven't increased the rent since we moved in 4 and a half years ago. We're paying over £100/month less than ANY other similarly sized property in the village... So swings and roundabouts I guess .

Ill probably end up paying for the hall and stairs to be recarpeted and probably bathroom flooring too (though might have a crack at that myself first ) but it still feels like an OK ish tradeoff.

[Nicky91]

how disgusting that person is to these cute pigeons

[Brillopad]

Pidgeon poop can pose a health hazard - so that together with the mess, noise and previous complaints it is a justifiable fine. Mind you when you watch that programme about landlords and tenants it’s disgusting when you see what many landlords get away with. Can’t believe what some charge for sh**holes unfit for human habitation.

[arista]

Originally Posted by Blue cat

It's ridiculous. Pigeons are nice.

Sure
But they can not live inside
someone's Loft.


That is illegal.

[Kizzy]

Surprised the water leak is a secondary issue to the noise, the place will be noisy, damp, mouldy and smelly then? sounds a wonderful place to live.

[bitontheslide]

i had one pigeon that got into an old house down the chimney. The mess it made was unbelievable. There was literally **** everywhere, in every room and it was a hell of a job trying to get it to fly back out again through a window. So, I can well imagine what a loft full of them would be like.

[Blue cat]

Originally Posted by arista

Sure
But they can not live inside
someone's Loft.


That is illegal.

They should make the pigeons somewhere to go, away from people.

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Blue cat

They should make the pigeons somewhere to go, away from people.

You mean like trees where they usually nest? the pigeons aren’t having their shopping delivered they will be leaving the loft to feed, they only reason they are in the loft is because the roof has holes in it

[kirklancaster]

This fine was not punitive enough.

Landlords and Agents such as these are scum and should be banned from being involved in property altogether.

It is a sad fact though, that the greater majority of 'Rogue Landlords' are foreign and the greater majority of the unfortunate tenants being exploited by them are also foreign.

This being so, the actual 'weight brought to bear' on these mercenary scumbags by a lot of Authorities throughout this country is mere 'Lip Service' so well done to this Authority and this Judge in this case.

In my opinion, of course.

[Brillopad]

Originally Posted by kirklancaster

This fine was not punitive enough.

Landlords and Agents such as these are scum and should be banned from being involved in property altogether.

It is a sad fact though, that the greater majority of 'Rogue Landlords' are foreign and the greater majority of the unfortunate tenants being exploited by them are also foreign.

This being so, the actual 'weight brought to bear' on these mercenary scumbags by a lot of Authorities throughout this country is mere 'Lip Service' so well done to this Authority and this Judge in this case.

In my opinion, of course.

It’s the same old same old with nothing changing. Whether it be rogue landlords, grooming gangs and female abuse or terrorism the response is the same as to some the most important issue is political correctness and adherence to it - whatever the price! Shameful!!!

[Kizzy]

Parliament had the chance to vote for regulations ensuring homes must be fit for habitation... they chose not to pass it, conversely many are landlords.