Buy to let landlords face fines

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Buy to let landlords could face £2,500 over smoking ban

Landlords, or managing agents, of flats, bed-sits or multi-occupancy houses could be hit with £2500 fines for failing to enforce the ban along with the correct signs.

The communal areas in these properties which are classed as shared include: stairways in blocks of flats; lifts; common parts in houses converted into flats; shared kitchens; bathrooms and toilets.

These parts of the property are classed as public areas and must comply with the new no smoking legislation and the landlords must display an A5 sized no smoking signs or they could be fined.
The buy to let market has grown rapidly over the last few years, the no smoking law leaves a lot of investors exposed unless they get the signs up now.

Tim Warrington, founder of www.Landlord.co.uk which offers advice to the property investor, said: “This is a very simple thing to miss. Being a landlord you concentrate on more pressing issues like gas and electricity safety. It is very easy to overlook but a £2500 fine could be a very costly mistake.”

The landlord or managing agent has to display A5 signs saying in clear wording “No smoking. It is against the law to smoke in these premises” or similar wording. These signs must be displayed on the entrance. If tenants or guests continue to smoke they must be warned that it is against the law and they are committing an offence. It is the landlord or managing agents responsibility to enforce the smoking ban in these areas. “When asking our 14000 members on landlord.co.uk only 13% knew the smoking ban would affect some landlords, with most of the smoking legislation being aimed at obvious public places this area could be targeted by local authorities. Landlords need to contact their local authority for more information,” said Warrington.

Date: 03/07/07