An HMO landlord has been fined £40,000 !!!! He has been found guilty of endangering the lives of tenants by letting out an unlicensed HMO consisting of 5 rooms. Not only was this home of multiple occupancy unlicensed it was also in terrible condition. It was an HMO in High Road, Ilford.
Amarjit Sanger 37 and ARJ Investments ltd were prosecuted at Snaresbrook Crown court on the 23rd of July 2013. They pleaded guilty to 75 housing act offences and were fined £39,000.
In this instance the landlord had not attempted to legalise his home and homed tenants, without any thought as to the danger and risk he was putting them under. After the 1st inspection back in September 2011 by Redbridge Council Housing Standards team … it them came to light there was a further four unlicensed HMO’s on the high street all owned by the same people.
Some of the findings were :
- Unsafe gas and electrical appliances
- Unsafe conversions undertaken without planning or building control consent
- No fire alarms or fire safety equipment installed
Tenants were living in extreme conditions such as living in the cellar without any light or ventilation. Things such as gas leaks/not enough fire rated doors/not enough handrails or no banisters/bad drainage systems and overcrowding were discovered in the properties.
The landlords also didn’t comply with an emergency Prohibition Order that prohibited a HMO from being used for living or sleeping accommodation. It was discovered that people had been living in there for 6 months after the order had been served.
Since the Council stepped in the properties have ceased trading as an HMO and are instead undergoing full renovation works.
This has been noted as the biggest prosecution in the history of the Borough of Redbridge.
Redbridge council state that tenants living in properties in the borough are safe and they are well monitored and landlords who are not keeping up with rules and regulations should be warned! There is a hefty price to pay if they are not, as this particular landlord/company discovered.
