Legal News
£13,000 penalty for Islington landlord who left HMO property unlicensed and in disrepair (15 May 2017)
Date: 15/05/2017
Islington Council in north London has prosecuted a landlord for safety breaches – including lack of a fire alarm, insecure handrails and banisters, and rotten window frames – in a multiple occupancy property.
An inspection from Islington Council’s environmental health team uncovered a number of management issues – including a window in disrepair, a hole in the wall and dirty kitchen extractor fans.
The landlord, Erdal Korkmaz, also failed to supply a test certificate for the property’s electric installations – and also failed to provide a House of Multiple Occupancy (HMO) licence.
HMOs are properties occupied by three or more people forming more than one household.
In the case of HMOs where there are five or more people forming more than one household and the property is at least three storeys in height, an HMO licence is required.
Despite council officers issuing Korkmaz with an Improvement Notice obliging him to carry out repairs on the property at 23 Hillrise Road in Crouch Hill, north London, the problems remained unresolved.
At Highbury Magistrates’ Court, property owner Erdal Korkmaz of Durants Park Avenue in Enfield pleaded guilty to operating an unlicensed HMO; failing to comply with an Improvement Notice; and failing to comply with certain requirements of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006.
Korkmaz was ordered by to pay fines totalling £12,000, with costs of £1,124 and a victim surcharge of £100.
After sentencing, Islington Council’s service director of public protection, Jan Hart, said:
“The condition of this property was totally unacceptable – we are committed to ensuring Islington residents have decent homes to live in and we will take action against landlords providing unsuitable properties.”
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