Durham landlord fined £28,500 over property conditions

A landlord operating through Dalziel Ventures has been fined £28,500 following prosecution by Durham County Council after a property in Annfield Plain was found to have multiple hazards including damp, mould, no heating or hot water, and electrical issues.

Kristoffer Jon Dalziel, 34, the sole director of Dalziel Ventures, was prosecuted after failing to carry out repairs ordered by the council’s selective licensing team in December 2025. The property was occupied by a vulnerable household including a mother with a newborn baby and a child with disabilities.

Enforcement action

Following an initial inspection, Durham County Council sent a report to Dalziel detailing the property’s deficiencies and requiring improvements within one month. However, Dalziel informed the council that his contractor was unwilling to proceed with the work.

A subsequent inspection in February 2026 revealed that no repairs had been completed, with multiple hazards still present including excess cold, damp and mould, carbon monoxide risks, and electrical defects. The council then served Dalziel with a Section 11 and Section 12 Housing Act 2004 Improvement Notice.

Despite warnings in early March 2026 about potential legal consequences, works remained incomplete by late March, with no contact from the landlord. During interview, Dalziel acknowledged he had been given opportunities to address the issues and admitted he had not personally attended the property after purchase, except for the initial viewing.

Licensing breaches

In addition to the improvement notice breach, Dalziel had failed to obtain selective licences for the property and two other properties in Stanley following the introduction of the licensing scheme in April 2022. This case highlights the ongoing challenges facing the UK property market as regulatory requirements continue to evolve.

At Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, Dalziel was found guilty and received a £7,000 penalty for each of the three unlicensed properties and £5,000 for breaching the improvement notice. He was also ordered to pay £500 in costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

Ted Murphy, Durham County Council’s Building Safety and Standards Manager, stated: “This case and conviction demonstrate the continuing need to regulate the sector and selective licensing can be an effective tool to improve standards. It also allows us to take effective enforcement against landlords that are non-compliant or criminal and put tenants at risk.”

The case adds to growing concerns about property conditions in the private rental sector. The prosecution underscores the financial and legal risks facing landlords who fail to maintain properties to required standards, particularly under selective licensing schemes that have been introduced across multiple local authority areas to improve housing quality in the private rented sector.