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News Report Page 2 of 19
Publication Date:-
2019-02-16
News reports located on this page = 2.

Landlord hit with fine for placing family in 'unfit for purpose' house

The property in Wavertree had a hole in the kitchen ceiling, no back door lock and missing smoke alarms

A landlord has been hit with an ₤11,000 fine for housing a family of 4 in an unlicensed property which was in such poor condition it had to be shut down. The house on Webster Road in Wavertree had a hole in the kitchen ceiling which meant rain came into the house, no lock on the back door, broken kitchen units and missing smoke alarms.

It 1st came to the attention of Liverpool City Council in November 2017, but despite clear reminders of the requirements of the City's mandatory Landlord Licensing Scheme and the consequences of failing to act, Imperial Property Services Limited made no attempt to assist the Local Authority. It did not attend either the initial or subsequent sentencing hearings.

At the initial hearing, District Judge Wendy Lloyd found the company guilty in their absence at Liverpool Magistrates Court. She commented that the property was "clearly unfit for purpose" and the fact that there were 2 young children living in the property at the time was a "serious concern." She added that it was clear that the company was trying to "stay under the radar" by failing to license their property.

During the sentencing hearing on 7 February 2019, District Judge Andrew Shaw fined Imperial Property Services Limited ₤10,000, costs of ₤826 and a victim surcharge of ₤180, describing it as a:- "very bad case."

The property has since been the subject of a Prohibition Order, meaning that the Council deems it to be uninhabitable and unsafe.

Liverpool's Landlord Licensing Scheme was introduced in 2015 with the aim of driving up standards in the private rented sector and providing reassurance for tenants. More than 48,500 licences have been granted to the owners of privately rented properties and 20,000 compliance checks have been carried out. Around 70% of properties inspected had issues that needed tackling, such as health and safety hazards including:- electrical and heating problems.

The Local Authority has issued over 2,000 legal notices, around 90 fixed penalty notices and successfully prosecuted more than 150 landlords. In addition, 11 cases have been brought for health and safety and action taken against 29 unlicensed HMO's (Houses of Multiple Occupation).

Nationally, figures show that Liverpool alone is responsible for 389% of the 460% national rise in landlord prosecutions between 2012 and 2018. The Council will shortly start a consultation over continuing its Landlord Licensing Scheme from 2020 to 2025.

Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for housing, Cllr Lynnie Hinnigan, said:- "This is a shocking case of a landlord who has housed a family in appalling conditions and flagrantly disregarded the law. It is absolutely shameful that this company believes it is acceptable to rent out a property which is in this condition, placing a young family in an unsafe environment not fit for human habitation. This case demonstrates clearly the value of our Landlord Licensing Scheme in bringing to book those who are not providing decent quality homes in the private rented sector."


Season of love? Almost ½ of North West residents are not making love

FEBRUARY is the month of love, but for many North West residents the thought of cupid is far from their mind. 25% of couples have admitted to suffering from a low libido, which could explain why 43% are not having sex at all. With UK lovebirds not engaging in the throes of passion, North West residents are even reluctant to turn up the heat in the bedroom on Valentine's Day. 42% do not celebrate Valentine's Day and for those that do, 17% will be intimate with their partner on the day itself.  The research which was conducted by SunVit-D3 found that North West residents are shunning the traditional methods of an aphrodisiac such as oysters and chocolates, 66% of those in a relationship have ruled out taking anything to boost their sex drive.

So where is the UK's least sexually active Region?

Region

Percentage with lowest sex drive...

North East 37%
East Midlands 31%
South West 27%
South East 26%
London 25%
North West 25%
Northern Ireland 25%
Yorkshire 24%
East Anglia 24%
Scotland 23%

Yet in light of North West residents' lack of intimacy with their partners, almost a 5th (17%) would take Vitamin D to boost their sex drive.

Richard Allen, Director from SunVit-D3 said:- "It is interesting to learn that so many couples are not engaging in sex with their partner, even around Valentine's Day; the most romantic day of the year. Clinical trials show Vitamin D can play a significant role in boosting our sex drive and Vitamin D should be considered as a daily supplement to help form and maintain a happy and healthy lifestyle."

It's not just vitamin D supplements that can help, as in reality you have other ways to get it. The 2 main ways to get vitamin D are by exposing your bare skin to sunlight and by taking food's that contain vitamin D, Fatty fish, like tuna, mackerel, and salmon. Often though people use vitamin D supplements if they can't get enough sunlight.

The most natural way to get vitamin D is by exposing your bare skin to sunlight (ultraviolet B rays). This can happen very quickly, particularly in the summer, but with all your clothes on in winter, plus the lack of Sun, this often means its harder to get it. In fact, a little under the time it takes for your skin to begin to burn, your body can produce 10,000 to 25,000 IU of vitamin D. But how much vitamin D is produced from sunlight depends on the time of day, where you live in the world, the colour of your skin and time of day. Also, it is worth adding that the more skin you expose the more vitamin D is produced.

But what is the connection between vitamin D and sex? Vitamin D deficiency can result in low estrogen levels that results in a low sex drive within women. In men, vitamin D can significantly boost testosterone levels, which increases their sex drives. So it's worth noting that a little time out in the Sun really does increase your sex drive... So that makes us question, should we use this as an excuse to go on holiday to the equator, in winter?

It is also worth noting that it is not just through your sex drive that a lack of vitamin D can affect you. The lack of the vitamin can also lead to bone deformities, such as rickets, within children, and osteomalacia in adults.

Taking too many vitamin D supplements over a long period can cause too much calcium to build up in the body (hypercalcaemia). This can weaken the bones and damage the kidneys and the heart. Also, please remember that some people have medical conditions that mean they may have issues with the amount of vitamin D they can take. Please always consult your doctor before taking supplements and follow their advice.

To find out more information about Vitamin D and for advice, please visit the NHS website.

 
      
 
   
 
 
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