A former Conservative councillor has been banned from letting properties for two years after repeatedly failing to comply with improvement notices.
A First Tier Property Tribunal heard that Camden Council had served landlord Jonathan Bucknell with a notice relating to his properties at 4 Chamberlain Street in 2015 and to 8 Chamberlain Street in 2018. However, work to address category 1 and 2 hazards including leaks and damp was not carried out until 2022 and 2023 respectively. Bucknell had admitted the offences and was ordered to pay a total of £92,000 in 2022 along with total fines of £27,000 and £45,000 at previous court appearances for similar non-compliance.
One tenant told the tribunal that her landlord – who lives in the top two floors at 4 Chamberlain Street - removed the ceiling to the basement flat resulting in excess cold, and because he stored his recycling in the basement, there were various pest infestations. He stored fuel in the area and made her flat smell, while he would also enter her flat when she went out. Another said Bucknell had insisted on carrying out repairs to the property himself, rather than using professionals which had compromised the tenants' livelihoods.
Bucknell argued he had completed the works set out in the improvement notices and that his heart was in the right place although he accepted that he had “taken his eye off the ball”.
The court ruled that it hoped the banning order would encourage Bucknell to transfer the management of his portfolio to a professional managing agent so that his tenants would come to no further harm. The judge added: “Mr Bucknell did not appreciate the seriousness of the improvement notices. It seems to us that he has no sense of urgency and has a lack of awareness of the responsibilities he owes to the occupiers.”
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