A rogue landlord from the Midlands has become the latest to be brought to justice, after being found guilty of a number of failings relating to a HMO.
Birmingham based landlord Salih Mahfood Hassan Mohamed was told to pay £24,158 after being prosecuted at Birmingham City Council.
Fines
The fine received by Mr Mohamed was split as follows:
- Failure to obtain a HMO licence-£2,000
- Breaches of HMO Management Regulations-£2,000 per breach
- Court costs-£2,038
- Victim surcharge-£120
All charges relate to a rental property in the Sparkhill area of the city. The property had an HMO licence until May 2014, since when it has never been renewed.
Poor living conditions at the address became apparent when Midlands Fire Service referred the property to Birmingham City Council.
Multiple failings
Housing officers subsequently visited the property and found a whole host of failings. These included:
- fire alarm not working
- blocked fire escape
- mouldy shower rooms
- low windows, which weren’t fitted with safety glass
- faulty fire doors
- overgrown and cluttered garden
- broken front door lock
Rogue landlord fined for HMO failings
Councillor Peter Griffiths, Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for Housing and Homes, noted, ‘HMO licensing exist because tenants living in this type of accommodation are almost 17 times more likely to be killed in a fire than an adult living in a similar single-occupancy house.’[1]
‘West Midlands Fire Service raised concerns about this property and our officers found a shocking list of breaches,’ Griffiths continued.[1]
Leave of absence
Mr Griffiths also said that Mohamed left the country for a prolonged period, and instructed his friend to collect rent on his behalf during this time.
Additionally, Griffiths noted that the tenants in the property were subject to appalling conditions, putting their overall safety at risk.
‘The council has over 1,800 licensed properties. Most landlords are responsible and law abiding but the council’s HMO Licensing Team will continue to pursue and prosecute those that aren’t,’ Mr Griffiths pledged.[1]
[1] https://www.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/breaking-news/2016/5/landlord-hit-with-25k-fine-for-hmo-failings