Landlord Knowledge - Home of the Savvy Buy to Let Property Investor

Landlord fined £11,000 for overcrowded HMO

A landlord in East London has been fined £11,000 for operating an unlicensed and overcrowded house in multiple occupation (HMO), which was reportedly used to house workers from a building development site. Redbridge Council says the case highlights its zero-tolerance stance on poor property standards and rogue letting practices.

Council crackdown follows multiple tenant complaints
Pellumb Mazreku, of 75 Forest Road, Hainault, was issued the civil penalty notice after Redbridge Council officers investigated persistent complaints concerning newly developed homes on Cranbrook Road. The properties were allegedly constructed to accommodate workers connected to a nearby development project.

When council officials entered the property, they found it was housing 12 occupants — eight adults and four young children under the age of five. The building, which lacked a valid HMO licence, was also found to pose several safety risks. These included the absence of fire detectors, inadequate fire doors, and an insufficient number of refuse bins — conditions deemed unacceptable under licensing regulations designed to protect tenants and the surrounding community.

Despite appealing the fine to the First Tier Tribunal Property Chamber, Mazreku’s challenge was dismissed, and the original penalty was upheld.

Local authority defends enforcement and warns non-compliant landlords
Redbridge Council leader, Councillor Kam Rai, praised the enforcement action and stressed the importance of landlords taking their legal responsibilities seriously. He stated: “I would like to thank our officers for their excellent work in this case — responding to the complaints, issuing the fine, defending the appeal, and ensuring this property developer pays up.”

“We will not allow developers or substandard landlords to ride roughshod over local people,” Rai added. “The Council works with landlords and developers to resolve issues where possible. However, we will issue fines if landlords fail to comply with their legal responsibilities.”

Cllr Rai also emphasised that although the Council prefers resolution through cooperation, formal enforcement is necessary when landlords “ignore their legal and moral responsibilities”. He highlighted that tribunal outcomes are made public for transparency and to remind all landlords that the housing standards team will take action when necessary.

Context matters: Balancing fairness with enforcement
While it is essential to uphold safety standards, some landlords believe the regulatory system can be overly punitive, particularly in cases where tenants knowingly over-occupy properties or fail to report problems. A local landlord, who wished to remain anonymous, commented: “We want to provide safe and decent homes, but the burden of bureaucracy can be crushing. Sometimes tenants don’t flag issues, or there’s a breakdown in communication. We’re not all rogue operators.”

Still, the broader message remains clear: licensing laws exist to maintain safety and fair conditions. This latest case serves as a public example that councils are increasingly willing to enforce the rules, particularly in areas like East London where housing pressures and tenant safety are high on the agenda.

 

RSS
Follow by Email
X (Twitter)