Rogue Landlord Faces £108,000 Bill or Jail
A rogue landlord in west London has been ordered to pay a huge £108,000 fine within three months, or face jail.
Rogue Landlord Faces £108,000 Bill or Jail
The case began when Mohamed Omar Hassibi was refused consent to convert his semi-detached house on Mayfield Close in Uxbridge, west London. The rogue landlord decided to press ahead with his conversion plans anyway, and subsequently let the flats.
Following an investigation and court proceedings at Isleworth Crown Court, Hassibi was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay Hillingdon Council’s costs of £7,000 at his sentencing.
The court also imposed a £100,000 confiscation order on Hassibi, which means that the rogue landlord must pay the huge sum within three months, or face a four-month prison sentence.
Hassibi was receiving around £2,000 per month in rental income from the flats.
The Leader of Hillingdon Council, Councillor Ray Puddifoot, comments on the case: “Mr. Hassibi was generating a large rental income from unwitting tenants, and it’s only right that he should hand over the money he earned from his illegal activity.
“We are committed to ensuring that crime does not pay in Hillingdon.”
The severe penalties for Hassibi’s crimes should come as a warning to landlords, just months ahead of the Government’s plans to introduce a blacklist of rogue landlords and letting agents.
Rogue landlords and letting agents will also be faced with banning orders, which will prevent them from operating in the private rental sector for 12 months. Any landlord/agent that breaches the banning order could face tough sanctions, of up to 51 weeks in prison or a huge fine of up to £30,000. These plans are expected to be introduced from April this year.
In order to stick to the law and avoid sanctions, take a look at our range of comprehensive guides to letting property in the UK: /guides/