Landlord of ‘deathtrap’ in Hereford loses court fines appeal

12/02/2010

A Hereford landlord could be forced to sell one of his homes after letting students sleep in a "deathtrap". Marc Mohan, of Church Way, Holmer, failed to provide the most basic fire safety precautions at his Aylestone Hill property. Mohan, aged 47, was ordered to pay more than £30,000 in March 2009 after admitting breaking fire and safety regulations, but he now faces a September deadline to pay the same bill, and extra costs, after a judge dismissed his appeal against the penalties.

Worcester Crown Court heard that Mohan owned housing worth an estimated £3 million around Hereford, but he put "profit before safety" at Aylestone Hill, where six students paid a weekly rent of between £90 and £100 a week.

Herefordshire Council and fire safety officers visited the four-storey property in January 2008 following an anonymous tip-off.
Mark Jackson, representing both bodies, said there were no escape routes, fire alarms or emergency lighting in the building.
He said that Mohan then ignored an emergency prohibition order (EPO), letting students sleep in rooms that were closed-off by housing officers on safety grounds.

"The property was a deathtrap. If a fire occurred on the ground there was no way of escaping on the upper floors," said Mr Jackson.

Andrew Tucker, for Mohan, said that lawyers told the landlord he was not obliged to comply with the EPO. He added that Mohan had received papers, through the Freedom of Information Act, stating that officers could not prove there were tenants upstairs. But the documents were not analysed in time, and a bid to adjourn was refused.

Mohan was fined £7,000 for failing to register the house as multiple occupancy and £3,000 for failing to comply with the EPO.
He was fined a further £3,000 for failing to provide a risk assessment, and £4,000 for failing to provide safety precautions.
Mohan, who denied the counts, must also pay £2,350 in costs on top of the £13,448 from the hearing at Hereford Magistrates Court.

"Whatever his current situation, maybe there is an option to sell one or more of his properties," said Judge Alistair McCreath.

"He was motivated purely to maximise his profit without any regard whatsoever to the safety of his lodgers."