Landlord ordered to pay £1,900 over waste at homes

A Bradford landlord has been fined for failing to clear waste, including mattresses and cannabis products, from two of his properties.

Bradford Council's Environmental Enforcement team had received complaints about waste in the gardens of 97a Great Horton Road and 99 Great Horton Road last summer.

Hasan Kazi was charged with two counts of failing to comply with a community protection notice when he did not clear the sites.

Kazi, of Laisteridge Lane, was due to appear at Bradford Magistrates' Court on Friday but failed to appear and was found guilty in his absence.

He was fined £770 and ordered to pay £841 costs and a £308 court surcharge, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Waseem Raja, prosecuting the case on behalf of Bradford Council, said the Environmental Enforcement team had visited 97a Great Horton Road on 2 July in response to a complaint about waste.

He said: "The visit revealed waste in the garden, and the waste included mattresses, bed bases, springs, carpets, white goods, remnants of cannabis and green waste.

"Checks were made to find the owner of the property, and it was the defendant."

He told magistrates that Kazi was sent a community protection warning letter on 15 July advising him to remove the waste.

A follow up visit on 31 July found the items were still there and on 6 August he was handed a community protection notice that legally required him to clear the site by 8 September.

"That date came and went, and nothing had happened," Raja said.

As time passed the council further tried to engage with Kazi with no success.

"Despite multiple interventions, he failed to respond or comply with the community protection notice.

"The waste has caused ongoing environmental issues and social distress."

He told magistrates that the charges relating to 99 Great Horton Road were a "similar story" and many of the visits had taken place on the same day as the visits to the neighbouring property.

Magistrates asked if there was any evidence the situation had improved.

"There is no evidence of any works being carried out," Raja said.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.