An infamous rogue landlord has been ordered to pay £39,000 for renting out a dangerous, rodent-infested HMO.

Nazir Ahmed, of Albany Road in Cardiff, ignored council orders to sort out fire hazards and clear rats from the four-bedroom property in Broadway, Adamsdown (main picture and below) which had been converted without permission, Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard.

Police raised concerns with the fire service over the condition of the building last April and a Cardiff Council inspection found the electricity had been disconnected by the electricity supplier due to attempts to bypass the meters.

Despite the HMO having no working fire alarm, heating or electricity, Ahmed did not deal with these issues.

There was also a large hole in the front door, damaged plastic sheeting on a hall wall, a smoke detector with the dust cover still on it, exposed live wiring, an electricity meter cupboard without fire protection, and defective fire doors. A mattress had been left in the ground floor hallway, blocking the fire escape route.

Rodent

After it discovered the rodent infestation, the council served emergency prohibition orders and all tenants had to move out immediately. It ordered Ahmed to provide fire safety documents, but he failed to comply.  

He was found guilty in his absence of breaching HMO regulations and two notices. Ahmed was fined £37,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000 and the council’s prosecution costs of £461.

Cardiff Council had previously made two prohibition orders with respect to two of the flats in the property.

Wales Online reports that as long ago as 2004 it had reported that Ahmed had 21 housing offences on his record, dating back to 1999.