A tribunal has upheld a £7,500 penalty issued to a landlord company for failing to address electrical safety defects within the legal timeframe, in a case that highlights the enforcement of private rental sector regulations.
West Suffolk Council imposed the fine on Forthbrook Ltd in November 2025 after the company failed to complete remedial works within 28 days or apply for a time extension to address 21 electrical safety defects at a property in Thetford Road, Brandon.
Timeline of enforcement action
The case began in March 2025 when the council requested an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) for the property during a visit to investigate a damp and mould complaint. A mother and four children were residing at the property at the time.
Despite repeated requests, the EICR was not provided until 27 June 2025. The report, dated 23 May 2025, identified seven code 1 defects requiring immediate action, including exposed cables presenting risk of injury, and 14 code 2 defects classified as potentially dangerous.
Under the Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector Regulation 2020, landlords must complete remedial works within 28 days of receiving an EICR or apply for an extension. By the time the council received the report, the defects should have already been addressed.
West Suffolk Council instructed an electrician to remove imminent risks and served two notices on 4 July 2025: an Urgent Remedial Notice and a Remedial Notice for remaining works. The landlord responded five days later stating works would be completed by 4 August 2025.
The works were not completed until 10 September 2025, 82 days after the legal deadline, with no extension application submitted.
Court decision
Forthbrook Ltd appealed the penalty level at Cambridgeshire County Court in June. Director Kim Hayklan told the tribunal she believed temporary safety measures had addressed immediate risks, allowing time to arrange full remedial works.
The letting agent informed the court that a contractor capable of completing work earlier had been identified but would have cost more.
The tribunal found in favour of the council, determining the fine was appropriate and could have been higher. The decision comes as councils face pressure to enforce landlord compliance with safety regulations across the private rental sector.
Regulatory implications
Councillor Richard O’Driscoll, Cabinet Member for Housing at West Suffolk Council, stated: “These significant breaches relating to electrical safety, left a mum and her four children exposed to risk of injury including from electrocution or fire. The regulations require landlords to treat these hazards far more seriously and swiftly than happened here.”
He added that the council aims to work with landlords to improve living conditions in the private rented sector, noting that most landlords address defects within legal timeframes.
The case demonstrates local authority enforcement powers under electrical safety regulations introduced in 2020, which require landlords to obtain EICRs every five years and address identified defects promptly. The tribunal’s decision reinforces that cost considerations do not constitute grounds for delaying urgent safety works beyond statutory deadlines.
