'Slum' landlord prosecuted

A Liverpool landlord has been hit with a fine of almost �14,000 for allowing tenants to live in what have been described by a District Judge as:- "slum" conditions.

Roach Estates and Property Management Ltd, and Directors Phillip Range and David Kellard, were found guilty, at Liverpool Crown Court on:- 7 January 2025.

Liverpool City Council's Private Sector Housing Service discovered serious issues at the property on:- Goodison Road, Walton, in July 2023, including:-

Damp and mould growth from damaged brickwork to the front bay lintel, and a flat roof allowing leaks into the kitchen.
Broken gutters and waste water discharging directly onto the flat roof.
Uneven stairs and a deep step over pipework and the door frame into the yard.
Structural collapse and falling elements from missing mortar and loose bricks in a wall.
The kitchen ceiling was bowing under the flat roof and the ceiling has since collapsed.
An open fuse box with live wiring and an intermittent electrical supply.
Exposed wiring and a missing light fitting in the kitchen where water has dripped through the roof.
A defective fire door.

The landlord was served with an Improvement Notice and ordered to resolve the issues by February 2024.

A subsequent reinspection in March 2024 found they had not taken adequate action to rectify the hazards identified and bring the property up to a safe standard. Some of the issues had deteriorated further.

In court, Presiding District Judge Wendy Lloyd described them as:- "slum" conditions and handed down fines totalling:- �13,867.31.

In 2024, Liverpool City Council brought 33 prosecutions against landlords, with fines totalling:- �342,584 handed down. A further 11 Civil Penalty Notices were issued, with fines totalling:- �59,862.50.

To report disrepair or poor management in a privately rented home, you can get in touch with the Council's Private Sector Housing team by emailing:- PrivateSector.Housing@Liverpool.Gov.UK, or making a referral online at:- Liverpool.Gov.UK.

Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Sam East, said:- "This has truly been a house of horrors for the tenants, who have endured terrible conditions. I am pleased that the landlord has been hit hard in the pocket for their negligence in failing to ensure that the property was of a decent standard. This is exactly the type of issue that our Landlord Licensing scheme is designed to tackle and it sends out a strong message to the sector that we will not tolerate this type of behaviour. If people living in privately rented properties have an issue, they can get in touch with our team by filling in the referral form on our website."

�10m funding earmarked for data and AI powered initiatives to drive investment, create jobs and tackle health inequalities

NEARLY �10m is set to be invested in a new Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone (CHI-Zone) that would drive investment and job creation, while tackling health inequalities in the Liverpool City Region.

The University of Liverpool's data and AI driven CHI-Zone would aim to cement the City Region's international reputation as a go to place for investment in cutting edge health and social care technologies.

Liverpool City Region Combined Authority will this month be asked to approve a �9.97m investment in CHI-Zone which would also receive a further �2.5m funding from other sources including the University.

CHI-Zone is expected to generate more than �10m of further investment into the City Region from public and private sources, while creating at least 365 new jobs and training at least 1,140 people. It would also support more than 125 businesses and entrepreneurs, and lead to the creation of at least 10 new digital health and care sector businesses.

The ambitious project is part of the 10 year Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone programme which is expected to attract up to �800m of public and private investment and create 8,000 new skilled jobs.

Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram said:- "This innovative project will place the Liverpool City Region at the heart of global advancements in health and social care technology. It's another critical step towards tackling health inequalities, driving investment and creating skilled, well paid jobs for our residents. Through cutting edge AI and data driven solutions, we're not only shaping the future of health care, but also fostering a thriving digital economy that will benefit people and businesses for years to come."

Professor Iain Buchan, W.H. Duncan Chair in Public Health Systems, Associate Pro Vice Chancellor for Innovation, and Director of Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL) said:- "The Civic HealthTech Innovation Zone (CHI-Zone) will spearhead the use of artificial intelligence and other data-driven technologies to improve healthcare, social care and wellness; while growing the region's life sciences and digital economy, with and for our residents. CHI-Zone will build on the City Region's civic data foundations to establish a world-leading civic AI cooperative. This is an exciting moment for the University of Liverpool and supports our ambitions as a civic institution to break new ground in science and technology that can address our society's pressing needs and shape the future."

The �12.47m CHI-Zone project will drive research and development (R&D) based on collaboration and the efficient and trustworthy use of data and AI.

It will train the workforce of the future, particularly in AI, while making the City Region a leading centre for developing and testing prototypes, helping build a global reputation for the adoption of emerging technologies.

To achieve this, CHI-Zone will drive Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) through R&D collaborations with overseas businesses and Universities; contributing to a City Region target of raising FDI by 25% by 2030.

CHI-Zone will also support University researchers to turn their innovations into successful businesses and it will ensure local HealthTech innovations are used to advance the City Region's own health and care systems; with input from residents to help design solutions.

The CHI-Zone plan includes development of a HealthTech Design Studio and a related care technology testbed � offering the expertise and platform needed to facilitate research and innovation.

It will also leverage the University's expertise, facilities and access to research funds to help grow jobs and businesses in the City Region.

Central to CHI-Zone's programme of research will be the University's Civic Health Innovation Labs (CHIL). Launched in November 2023, it is an interdisciplinary research centre tackling global health challenges with civic data and technology.

The Liverpool City Region Life Sciences Innovation Zone Programme (LCR Innovation Zone Programme) is part of the Government's national Investment Zone Programme.

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'Slum' landlord prosecuted

�10m funding earmarked for data and AI powered initiatives to drive investment, create jobs and tackle health inequalities