A landlord was ordered to pay thousands of pounds after Bristol City Council prosecuted him.
The case was brought, as the Bristol Post reported, after a vulnerable tenant was forced to endure the winter without electricity, heating, or hot water — an outcome local officials say highlights the seriousness of housing law violations.
Here's what to know
The case involved a rental property on Sandy Park Road in Brislington owned by Sirfan Hussain, who was fined after Bristol City Council brought the matter before magistrates.
In court, magistrates were told that Hussain rented out the home without the license required under the council's Selective Licensing Scheme and did not comply with an abatement notice issued when the council stepped in to help the tenant.
Proceedings also established that the property's electricity had been cut off and never restored.
"As a result of the electrical supply not being restored, a vulnerable tenant was left without electricity, heating and hot water during the winter months," a council spokesperson said.
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More background
Along with a £1,152 ($1,571) fine covering both offenses, Hussain was ordered to pay a £461 ($629) victim surcharge and £4,000 ($5,456) toward Bristol City Council's prosecution costs, bringing the total to £5,613 ($7,657), according to the Bristol Post.
The matter goes back to 2022 and early 2023.
When Bristol City Council first took Hussain to court in May 2023, he did not attend, leading to a warrant being issued before the case returned to court.
This was not the first time Hussain had come under public scrutiny.
In December 2024, Bristol Live also reported on a protest by the tenants' union ACORN outside a shop in Old Market prompted by separate complaints involving him.
What's being done?
Local officials said the council used its enforcement powers to pursue this prosecution and that the case should act as a warning to other landlords.
Selective licensing rules and abatement notices are designed to give councils tools to intervene when landlords fail to meet their legal responsibilities.
And for people trying to work with landlords or property managers to update outdated housing rules — including restrictions on cost-saving practices such as outdoor drying or food-growing — it may help to review strategies for building support and proposing changes.
Our resource on changing HOA bylaws offers ideas that may also apply when pushing for better rules in rental communities.
"This successful prosecution demonstrates our commitment to protecting tenants and holding landlords to account when they breach housing law," said Cllr Barry Parsons, the chair of the Homes and Housing Delivery Committee.
"Everyone deserves to live in a safe, warm and properly managed home."
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