Gary Ata: Sheffield landlord fined £97,000 over 'serious' failures at St Mary's student flats
A Sheffield landlord has been fined £97,000 over the ‘serious and deliberate’ failure to manage a block of flats in Sheffield.
Gunes - ‘Gary’ - Ata was found guilty of multiple offences under the Housing Act in connection with St Mary’s House - 101 student flats he manages on London Road.
He was initially hit with 24 financial penalties for 145 breaches of regulations, totalling £158,660, by Sheffield City Council in July last year.
Mr Ata appealed, and the figure was cut by £61,637 at a first tier property tribunal last month. He has the right to appeal to the upper tribunal by October 23.
The huge fine followed four inspections by council officials. They logged issues concerning fire safety signs, general safety, repairs and maintenance.
A report by Judge CP Tonge for the tribunal states: “There is clear evidence that the occupiers of the property have suffered harm. They have had to live in a property that is very much substandard and have had to put up with the presence of rats.”
The report adds: “The tribunal determines that Mr Ata has intentionally breached the regulations. There has been a systematic, serious and deliberate failure to comply with his legal duties.”
The fine was reduced after Mr Ata appealed for offences to be cancelled relating to filth, and issues including the risk of fire due to residents using portable heaters because the central heating wasn’t working.
He also said a long list of faults found by council officials did not amount to offences and that tenants had hindered him in conducting management duties.
Mr Ata’s daughter Jade is employed as manager of his five properties in Sheffield.
In evidence to the tribunal she said only emergency repairs were being carried out at St Mary’s because some investors had started paying service charges to an alternative property manager which ‘did not pass them on’. The issue has been with lawyers for five years, a report states.
She also said the rodent infestation was being dealt with and the rats were being poisoned.
The tribunal heard Mr Ata, trading as Noble Design And Build based in Telford, has about 500 flats or rooms for rent at his properties in Sheffield. He also owns buildings in other cities in England and has about 5,000 flats in total.
In 2022, a group of 48 investors at St Mary’s urged the city council to take action against Mr Ata over the running of the building and safety issues.
In August last year he was prosecuted for failing to provide information about charges to a tenant.
Mr Ata also owns Sheffield’s Old Town Hall.