A property landlord who failed to carry out improvement work on two cold and damp Bradford homes today had his £7,000 court fines cut by £3,000 on appeal.
Paul Atha, who owns 18 properties and has now emigrated to Australia, was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling almost £10,000 by magistrates in September for seven offences of failing to comply with an improvement notice.
Two of Atha’s tenants complained to Bradford Council about the state of their homes, in Bardon Avenue and Lastingham Green, both in Buttershaw, Bradford.
Today Atha, and his company Atha Properties Ltd, appealed against the sentence.
His barrister, James Bourne-Arton, said that the fines should have been concurrent for each property.
Atha, 44, formerly of Bridle Stile, Shelf, had no income in Australia and his company had recently made a loss, Mr Bourne-Arton told the court.
Judge John Potter, sitting with two magistrates, cut the total fine by £3,000 to £4,000.
The costs, of £2,950, should remain as they were, he ruled.
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