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£40,000 fine for owner of ‘danger’ HMOs By Simon Thompson |
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Tenants were living in a basement without windows or ventilation in shoddy unlicensed houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).
Amarjit Sanger, 37, of Goodmayes, Essex, and ARJ Investments Limited, a company which lists him as a director, rented five dangerous HMOs in the same street in Ilford, Essex.
After pleading guilty at Redbridge Magistrates Court to 75 offences relating to tenant safety and licensing HMOs, they were fined nearly £40,000.
Redbridge Council housing officers told the court the houses were in bad repair that put tenants at risk, including:
• Gas and electrical appliances with defects and no safety certificates
• Property conversions made without planning permission
• No fire alarms or fire safety equipment installed
The council ordered Sanger not to let any of the properties until he had renovated them as safe for tenants and applied for HMO licences.
Councillor Michelle Dunn, cabinet member for housing said: “Redbridge is working hard to help drive up standards in the private rented sector and while the vast majority of landlords manage their properties well, there are some who flout the law and place their tenants’ lives at risk.”
Landlord Geoffrey Irving, of Wallasey, Merseyside, pleaded guilty to not obeying a prohibition order by letting an unlicensed HMO, Birkenhead Magistrates Court heard.
Irving ordered to pay £3,000 with £700 costs after pleading guilty.
Irving was fined by the court last year for ignoring a council order to improve the property, which is home to 18 tenants with disabilities and learning difficulties.
The council issued the prohibition order after Irving continued to take in tenants without carrying out works to improve the property.
Contractors allegedly dumped rubbish, including an old kitchen from a rental property down a country lane.
Landlord John Seeley was traced from some of the litter and charged with failing to properly dispose of the rubbish, Cambridge Magistrates were told.
He was ordered to pay a total of £1,175 in fines and costs.
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Landlords warned - prepare for more regulation |
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Landlords in England are being warned that they should prepare for more regulation after the government published a consultation.
The warning comes from Tim Miles who is a partner at law firm Clarke Willmott.
He says that the Government is cons |
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Research reveals that 2017’s rents fell in real terms |
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The rents being paid to landlords in all parts of the UK fell in real terms during 2017, research suggests.
The findings from HomeLet reveal that rents in November rose by 0.7%.
That's the 11th straight month that rent increases have fallen beh |
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Rents for the UK’s rental properties rise by 2.1% |
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The average rent for a buy to let property grew by 2.1% in the year to September, an index has revealed.
The figures from HomeLet show that the average rent now being paid is £927 every month.
For landlords in London, rents rose by 1.9% o |
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Landlords start exiting the buy to let sector |
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One leading firm of letting agents is warning that buy to let investors are beginning to exit the sector.
The warning comes from Belvoir who say that while the numbers of landlords leaving is not huge, there is a trend appearing.
The firm's chi |
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Landlord confidence takes a knock |
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Despite the prospect of high yields and profitability, a survey has revealed the landlord confidence around the UK has fallen.
The findings from BM Solutions looked at all the key indicators for the second quarter of 2017.
They say that the lev |
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Landlords 'don't know what tenants want' |
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Landlords in the private rental sector are out of touch with their tenant’s wants and needs, according to new research.
The findings from an online letting agent revealed that tenants are clear most often about what they want and t |
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