IGNORING orders to carry out repairs to the York home of one of his tenants has left a landlord more than £450 out of pocket.

William Silcox spent six months turning a blind eye to demands from City of York Council to take action to fix a large hole in the bedroom ceiling of a property he owned and had rented out to the authority.

The council responded by prosecuting the private sector landlord who, following a court case, has now been fined £300.

Silcox, of Pinnar Lane, Southowram, Halifax, admitted non-compliance with a Housing Act Notice when he appeared before magistrates in York this month.

Other landlords have now been told his punishment should act as a warning of what could happen to them if they shirk their responsibilities.

The complaint against Silcox dated back to last January, when the council was told by one of his York tenants a hole in a bedroom ceiling had not been repaired.

Officers carried out an inspection of the property which revealed the defects constituted a Category One Hazard (Structural Collapse and Falling Objects), and the check was followed by an Improvement Notice, issued to Silcox under section 30 of the Housing Act 2004.

It meant he had to start the repairs on February 21 last year and complete them within two months – but the work was never carried out by the deadline.

The council contacted Silcox on a string of occasions and gave him an extra chance to avoid being prosecuted by extending the deadline for the work to be done.

But, when a final re-inspection of the tenant’s home by officers last July showed the problem still existed, the decision was made to use the law against him.

“The council will always work with landlords and letting agents to resolve problems,” said Ruth Abbott, the council’s housing standards and adaptations manager.

“But where landlords blatantly disregard officers’ attempts to work together, the decision will be made to prosecute to ensure the necessary work is carried out.”

Following his appearance before magistrates, Silcox was also ordered to pay the council’s legal costs of £165.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, the Labour group’s spokesperson for housing and adult social services, said: “I am extremely pleased council officers have taken this landlord to court and won.

“It is not acceptable for York residents to live in unfit and hazardous homes and for landlords to think such conditions are acceptable – they are not.

“If people want to be landlords, they must accept the responsibility of that position.

“I hope this sends out a strong message – that private residents can complaint to the council if they live in sub-standard and dangerous accommodation and that, if action is not taken, the law of the land will demand action.”