News
Absence of fire precautions in unlicensed HMO leads to £25,000 fine
A dodgy landlord who put his tenants in danger has been forced to pay almost £25,000 in fines and costs. Alan Lempriere was sentenced at Hammersmith Magistrates’ Court for a spate of offences on Tuesday 24 March 2015.
Since 2013, Mr Lempriere had repeatedly ignored requests from Hammersmith & Fulham Council officers to inspect his property in Harrow Road, NW10. Officers eventually obtained a warrant of entry to ensure the inspection took place.
In Court, Mr Lempriere of Herne Hill, South London was fined a total of £20,000 for a string of offences including:
- operating a house of multiple occupation without a licence since 2009;
- not carrying out gas or electrical safety checks;
- not complying with the council’s requests for information about the property;
- not providing adequate smoke alarms or protected means of escaping from a fire; and
- not maintaining common areas affected by damp and mould.
He was also ordered to pay costs of more than £4,796 and a £120 victim surcharge.
Commenting of the successful prosecution, a council spokesman said:
“This unscrupulous landlord chose to put his tenants lives at risk rather than live up to his responsibilities. This result should serve as a stern warning to landlords that shirking their obligations is unacceptable, criminal, and that the council will target those involved to ensure residents who rent are able to live in safe and decent homes.“
The Council is appealing to any tenants, or former tenants of the property to apply to the Residential Property Tribunal for a rent repayment order, so that the rent that they have paid within the previous 12 months can be returned to them. Are you one of those tenants who may be entitled to a rent refund? If so, why not drop us a line to see if we can assist with your application.
