Kristoffer Jon Dalziel, 34, the sole director of Dalziel Ventures, has been fined £28,500 after being prosecuted by Durham County Council. The prosecution followed the discovery of multiple hazards at a property in Annfield Plain, which included damp, mould, a lack of heating and hot water, and electrical problems.
Mr Dalziel failed to carry out repairs ordered by the council's selective licensing team in December 2025. A subsequent inspection in February 2026 revealed that no repairs had been completed, with hazards such as excess cold, damp, mould, carbon monoxide risks, and electrical defects still present.
In addition to breaching an improvement notice, Mr Dalziel had not obtained selective licences for the Annfield Plain property and two other properties in Stanley. This was a requirement following the introduction of a licensing scheme in April 2022.
At Peterlee Magistrates’ Court, Mr Dalziel was found guilty. He 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.