Landlords jailed for fire death

Northamptonshire landlord Ajit Singh has been given a 12 month jail following a fire that caused the death of a tenant's child. 

Ajit Singh, 50, has been found guilty of letting out a portfolio of fourteen properties, largely HMOs that contained a catalogue of  health and safety shortcuts. The rental properties were described as ' death traps'. 

The devastating result of the landlords negligence was when one of his portfolio, a terraced house in Kettering suffered an electrical fault last year, it resulted in the death of a seven year old boy.

Singh's was found guilty of not providing adequate smoke detectors nor a safe means of escape to the terraced rental property. The only smoke detector was found to have had its battery taken out, there were no fire doors and the main door of the house required a key to exit.

Two property managers who worked alongside Singh were also sentenced, both men received fines and suspended sentences.

The chief fire officer of Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service, Martyn Emberson, said

'I hope it sends a clear message to landlords and managing agents across the county.'

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