Brent Council officers discovered 15 men huddled inside a two-bedroom bungalow in north London during an enforcement raid.
Tenants were found sleeping on mattresses which were scattered across the dining room and living room of the property, in addition to bunk beds inside the chronically overcrowded property.
What is the plan of action?
Authorities intend to search for the rogue landlord of the illegally overcrowded property, which was so cramped the tenants had resorted to storing their belongings in furniture protected tarpaulin in the garden.
The 15 men were all making payments of £50 each week, were plagued by damp, mould, poor ventilation, a broken soil stack, damaged light fixtures, poor maintenance and hazardous living conditions.
Officials also made the discovery that the safety of these renters was compromised by the fact that there was no fire safety system implemented inside the property by the landlord.
In total, the rent paid by these tenants was £3,250 per calendar month, twice as much as the amount shown on the tenancy agreement.
Officers also recently raided a second unlicensed property in Wembley. They discovered five households sharing one kitchen between them, in addition to a bathroom, and toilet.
The 11 tenants included 2 children, and were paying £1,750 per calendar month in order to live in an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO).
Councillor Eleanor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Housing and Welfare Reform, commented: I’m appalled at the conditions our team discovered here. There are no circumstances in which it is okay for people to have to live like this – in unsafe, squalid conditions. That’s why we expect landlords to license their properties and why we’re prepared to take the strongest possible action, including through the courts, if they fail to do so.
“There’s no excuse for landlords not to know who is living in their properties. It’s their responsibility to make routine checks. We will continue to crack down on landlords who refuse to manage their properties properly.”