Sevenoaks landlady Dawn Holliday has received a suspended prison sentence and been fitted with an electronic tag after failing to comply with legal requirements for gas safety checks at her rental property. Tenants in her Eastchurch home had raised concerns about hazardous conditions, including a faulty boiler and an unusable cooker, but Holliday ignored official orders to address the risks.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) became involved after tenants reported that the boiler in Holliday’s property was unreliable, made loud banging noises, and frequently failed to provide hot water or heating. Further inspection revealed that the cooker had been condemned and was out of use, leaving tenants without essential services.
When the HSE issued Holliday with an Improvement Notice, requiring her to conduct gas safety checks, she claimed she lacked the funds to comply. She also falsely alleged that her tenants had vacated the property owing her rent.
Court finds her guilty of serious health and safety violations
When the case reached court, Holliday pleaded guilty to three charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998, including Section 21 and regulations 36(2) and 36(3).
The judge sentenced Holliday to 26 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered her to wear an electronic tag with a curfew between 8pm and 6am for four months. She was also fined £750 in court costs and issued a remediation order requiring her to carry out the overdue gas safety inspection.
HSE warns landlords to prioritise safety
HSE inspector Joanne Williams criticised Holliday’s actions, emphasising the potential dangers her tenants faced: “We do not tolerate disregard for health and safety and consider the non-compliance of HSE enforcement notices as a serious offence.”
Williams added: “In this case, Ms Holliday chose to flagrantly ignore the support, guidance, and warnings from HSE to assist her in compliance with the law and continued placing her tenants at serious risk of injury or even death.”
The ruling serves as a reminder of landlords’ legal responsibilities to maintain safe living conditions for tenants. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, landlords are required to ensure annual gas safety checks are carried out and to address any issues promptly.
Implications for landlords
Cases like this highlight the severe consequences of neglecting safety obligations, both for tenants’ well-being and landlords’ legal standing. While Holliday’s suspended sentence reflects the seriousness of her offences, it also raises broader concerns about ensuring compliance across the rental sector.
With housing safety under increasing scrutiny, landlords must ensure they adhere to regulations or face significant penalties. As Joanne Williams concluded: “We are dedicated to ensuring that landlords operate within the law and provide safe accommodation for tenants.”
This case serves as a stark warning: neglecting safety is not only unlawful but also places lives at risk—a risk no landlord can afford to ignore.
