News

Wembley property managers fined £100,000 after 21 tenants found living in overcrowded, cockroach-infested house

Sunday, October 11th, 2026 - Brent Council

An agent who acted on behalf of an owner and squeezed more than 20 people, including three children and a 10-month old baby into a severely overcrowded Wembley property has been brought to justice.

Meet Valand, the property manager and licence holder of 50 Bassingham Road, allowed more than twice the number of people permitted under the property’s licence to live there.

After tenants raised concerns, council officers investigated and uncovered a catalogue of serious problems, including a cockroach infestation, fire-safety breaches, and inadequate kitchen facilities, including broken stoves and missing doors.

The court found that the failings amounted to Category 1 harm, the highest level of housing hazard reflecting the seriousness of the risks faced by those living there, particularly around fire safety. Mr Valand was convicted of seven offences and fined £40,000, with a further £2,000 victim surcharge and £3,183.85 in prosecution costs.

The punishment didn’t stop there. Vispap Sarkari, who managed the property and rent collections, was also convicted. A detailed investigation uncovered multiple aliases and associates linked to him, including Mr Sanjay Patel who was recently given a five-year banning order, along with evidence of illegal activity.

The court heard that Mr Sarkari failed to meet basic safety and maintenance standards, including problems with fire alarms, fire safety equipment, escape routes, a damaged porch door and cracked bathroom fixtures.

As he was considered a repeat offender with previous housing offences, he was fined £50,000, with a further £2,000 victim surcharge and £3,183.85 in prosecution costs. Following his conviction for housing offences in March 2026 and these further findings, he is now eligible for a banning order.

Brent Councillor Robert Johnson said:

“These convictions should serve as a warning to any landlord or property manager in Brent who chooses to ignore their responsibilities and put profit before people. Residents deserve safe, secure housing and are encouraged to report poor conditions or unlawful practices so we can protect tenants and hold landlords to account. Property licencing is a key tool in helping the council raise housing standards, improve living conditions and tackle rogue landlords.”

Following the council’s intervention, the owner of the property had made significant improvements to the property. The owner is continuing to work with the council to ensure the property meets the conditions of its HMO licence and remains compliant with licence requirements.

Independent housing consultancy London Property Licensing is warning all landlords to take extreme caution and undertake full due diligence before handing over the keys to a ‘rent to rent’ operator who sub-lets the property. It involves handing over full control of the day to day management of the property whilst retaining substantial legal, financial and reputational risk.

All landlords renting out properties in Brent, except single household properties in Wembley Park, need to get their property licensed. The council say they are stepping up enforcement and landlords who don’t have a licence may face hefty fines or prosecution.

Our free guide containing information about property licensing and HMO planning rules in Brent is available here.