Camberwell letting agent and landlord ordered to pay over £3,000 for unlicensed property

Monday, November 25th, 2024 - London Borough of Southwark

A Southwark landlord and letting agent have been handed financial penalties for operating an unlicensed private rented property, in a prosecution brought by Southwark Council.

Rashidat Adebukola Edekunle-Mohammed, the property owner, and Tunde Coker of Alpha Property Services, were sentenced at Croydon Magistrates’ Court on Monday 14 October after pleading guilty.

The case involved a property on Havil Street, Camberwell which was rented out to a single family who reported defective heating to the council. Upon investigation, it was found that the property fell within the council’s selective licensing area and was being rented without the required licence, despite both the landlord and letting agent being notified of the obligation to license the property.

In Southwark, all Houses in Multiple Occupation need to be licensed and in many parts of the borough, single family houses and flats also need to be licensed under the council’s selective licensing scheme. 

The court ordered Edekunle-Mohammed to pay a total of £1,128 in fines and costs, while Coker was fined £2,256. Both amounts were reduced due to their early guilty pleas.

Councillor Natasha Ennin, Southwark Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Neighbourhoods, said: 

“This case demonstrates our commitment to holding landlords and letting agents accountable when they fail to meet their legal obligations. Licensing ensures that rented properties in Southwark are safe and well-maintained for our residents. We will continue to take action against those who put tenants at risk and encourage residents to report unscrupulous landlords.” 

Whilst the penalty in this case was relatively low, many councils are issuing much higher civil financial penalties for licensing offences, rather than taking cases to the Magistrates Court. Penalties of between £5,000 and £20,000 are not unusual based on cases reviewed by London Property Licensing. This demonstrates the vital importance of regulatory compliance.

Our free guide containing more information about property licensing and HMO planning restriction in Southwark is available here.

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