Ilford landlord loses Tribunal appeal and must pay £11,250

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2025 - Redbridge Council

A landlord who failed to license a house of multiple occupation (HMO) in Cranbrook Road, Ilford, has been fined £11,250 

Pellumb Mazreku of Forest Road, Hainault, received the civil financial penalty and appealed to the First Tier Tribunal. However, in early April 2025, the Tribunal upheld the penalty notice and dismissed the appeal. 

The civil financial penalty followed numerous complaints to Redbridge Council about the newly developed buildings on Cranbrook Road. The complaints included claims that the houses were built to accommodate developer employees and contained multiple tenants.

On inspection, council officers found fire safety and overcrowding hazards as well as no fire doors and insufficient refuse bins. The property was occupied by 12 people, including eight adults and four children under the age of five who were not all related. HMOs are regarded as higher-risk properties in terms of fire risk.

The penalty notice was issued for four offences: 

• Housing Act 2004, Section 72(1) – failure to apply for an HMO licence
• Housing Act 2004, Section 234 – three breaches of the HMO Management Regulations. 

Cllr Saima Ahmed, Redbridge Cabinet Member for Housing and Homelessness, said: 

“Mandatory HMO licensing applies borough-wide, and for good reason—it protects tenants and ensures homes meet legal standards. There are no shortcuts and excuses here in Redbridge, and this case reinforces that we will follow up on complaints and take action where needed. 

“Most private landlords in Redbridge act responsibly following the rules to ensure their tenants live in safe, clean, and comfortable conditions. However, a few bypass legal obligations and exploit vulnerable people for profit. 

“Under our licensing schemes, we’re working closely with private landlords to make sure they obtain the necessary licenses for their properties.  I would encourage any landlord who has not renewed their licence for HMO to act immediately before the Council takes enforcement action.”

Cllr Kam Rai, Leader of Redbridge Council, said: 

“I would like to thank our officers for their excellent work in this case, responding to the complaints, issuing the fine, defending the appeal, and ensuring this property developer pays up. We will not allow developers or substandard landlords to ride roughshod over local people, and the Council and I are pleased that this fine has been upheld.”

The council say they work with landlords and most cases are resolved through cooperation, but where landlords ignore their legal and moral responsibilities, the council will take formal enforcement action. Following an appeal, Tribunal decisions become a public record and act as a reminder that landlords facing action cannot hide.

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

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