A London landlord who failed to provide a Court with a ‘reasonable excuse’ for not holding a license has been fined £3,500.
Late last month, a Court ordered Mr Manzoor Hussain, of East Barnet, to pay out £2,446 in costs and a £120 victim surcharge after the landlord pleaded guilty before a jury to not having a licence for his House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
Mr Hussain’s six bedroom house in East Barnet was home to seven tenants in six separate households – all sharing one kitchen and two bathrooms.
Since 2006, it has been a legal requirement for landlords of HMOs with five or more tenants sharing amenities, in properties of three storeys or more, to hold a valid HMO license.
Mr Hussain found himself in Court after inspectors visited his property in August 2015 and made an official complaint.
The landlord faced £3,500 in fines and was forced to make an immediate application for a new license.
Cath Shaw, director for growth and development at Barnet council, said: “It is crucial that landlords make sure they have the correct licenses for their property.
“These licenses are very important in making sure the accommodation tenants are living in is of a decent standard and is not putting them at risk.
“This prosecution shows that landlords of HMOs who don’t have the required licences can expect to face action.”