AN OXFORD landlord has been ordered to pay almost £5,000 in costs after a faulty gas boiler risked the lives of his student tenants.

Glasgow GP Dr Tariq Mahmood was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for failing to maintain the boiler at his property at Laurel Court in Nye Bevan Close, East Oxford.

A gas installer discovered in December 2010 that the boiler was out of order and could be exposing tenants to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

And an HSE investigation revealed that Mahmood had failed to maintain the flat’s boiler and flue for two years between January 2009 and December 2010.

Oxford Brookes Student Union advice services manager Wendy Dant welcomed the court action.

She said: “I’ve never come across a landlord being prosecuted, so I welcome the fact it has been taken that seriously. Obviously these situations can be life or death situations and we don’t want students’ lives put at risk for the sake of the cost of servicing a boiler.”

Mahmood appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court and admitted breaching gas safety regulations.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Dozie Azubike said: “Dr Mahmood’s lack of care could have had very serious consequences for his Oxford University student tenants.

“Every year approximately 20 people die and many others suffer ill health from carbon monoxide poisoning.

“Unchecked gas appliances can become unsafe over time, exposing tenants to possible serious injuries or even fatality.

“It is therefore vitally important that landlords fulfil their gas safety obligations to their tenants.”

Mahmood, of Broompark Drive, Newton Mearns in Glasgow, pleaded guilty to breaches of regulations 36(2)(a) and 36(2)(b) and two breaches of regulation 36(3)(a) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998.

He was given a conditional discharge for a period of two years and ordered to pay costs of £4,928.

Paul Johnston, the chief executive of Gas Safe Register, said: “Landlords have a legal duty to ensure gas appliances in any property they rent are safety checked once a year and that they provide a copy of the gas safety record to their tenants.

“It is also a requirement that they use a suitably qualified Gas Safe-registered engineer to carry out the work.

“Tenants should also be aware that it is their right to ask to see a copy of the gas safety record if one has not already been provided.”