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Unlicensed and overcrowded HMO leads to criminal conviction and almost £50,000 penalty for Brent landlord
A landlord whose tenants were paying £3,500 to live in an overcrowded house of horrors has been handed fines totalling nearly £50,000.
Willesden Magistrates Court ordered Sanjay Patel to pay £49,495 for breaches to the Housing Act at a semi-detached house that he managed in Vivian Avenue, Wembley.
The nearly £50,000 fine and court costs is the highest penalty the courts have issued for an unlicensed house in multiple occupation in Brent this year.
Magistrates heard how faulty doors, mould, blocked hallways and a general state of disrepair at the two-storey home showed Mr Patel was failing his tenants by breaching housing legislation.
Brent officers raided the property after a tenant reported a rat infestation, a leak and a broken toilet. They found eight people, including two children under the age of 13, crammed into the house with facilities only fit for a maximum of five people.
Councillor Muhammed Butt, Leader of Brent Council, said:
“This case shows how seriously we pursue landlords who try to exploit tenants in Brent. We won’t let rogue landlords deny renters their right to live in safe, decent and secure homes.
“Every rental property in Brent needs a licence to comply with the law. Landlords still operating without a licence in Brent should apply online today in order to avoid a knock on the door by our enforcement offers. Don’t get caught out, get licensed!”
Work to repair the property is now underway following the council’s intervention.
Proactive street by street surveys are currently underway in Brent, six months after the start of borough-wide licensing in Brent. Officers are actively looking for unlicenced privately rented homes. Landlords found illegally renting out their properties without a licence are likely to get a hefty fine and a possible criminal conviction.
Our free guide containing more information about property licensing and HMO planning restrictions in the London Borough of Brent is available here.
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