An Ipswich landlord has been ordered to pay a total of more than £18,000 in fines as well as legal costs for failing to remove waste and undertake other works at an Ipswich property when the company and its sole director were found guilty at Ipswich Magistrates Court on Monday 30 May.
Francis Investments (East Anglia) Limited - whose registered office is in St Helens Street, Ipswich - together with the company’s sole director and owner of the property where the offences took place - Ralph Bernard of Valley View Drive, Rushmere St Andrew, Ipswich - were both convicted of 8 offences under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and which included leaving a large pile of waste at one of their properties in London Road, Ipswich despite being ordered to remove this.
Following an investigation by officers from Ipswich Borough Council’s Environmental Protection Team, Francis Investments (East Anglia) Limited and Ralph Bernard were served with Community Protection Notices (CPNs) for failing to remove the waste from the property and which also directed that drainage and vermin issues there must be rectified. Francis Investments (East Anglia) Limited and Ralph Bernard failed to comply with all the requirements of this notice that was issued in September 2020 and so were prosecuted.
Cllr Alasdair Ross, Ipswich Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, says:
“We are determined to stop properties in Ipswich being kept in an unreasonable state to the detriment of tenants, neighbours and others. Court action is the last resort after much hard work and action to resolve issues and that’s why we needed to go to court in respect of this property after the defendants had not responded to our previous measures to make things right. Landlords should understand they need to meet their obligations or, if necessary, we shall take action.“
