In a landmark ruling at Westminster Magistrate Court, a well-known rogue landlord and his company Blackstone Properties Management Ltd have been fined a hefty £480,000. The penalty comes after they were convicted of letting out a 22-bedroom House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) afflicted with severe dampness-so severe that mushrooms were found growing on the upper floors.
Mohamed Ali Rasool, the director of the firm, was found guilty of compromising tenant safety by offering a property plagued with fire hazards and damp conditions. The case unfolded following a tenant’s complaint in 2020, prompting Kensington & Chelsea Council to initiate an investigation. The council’s probe revealed that Rasool had been operating the HMO on the prestigious Hyde Park Gate without a proper licence.
In spite of several warnings to regularise his operations, Rasool failed to obtain the necessary licence, leading to a coordinated early morning operation with the Metropolitan Police and the London Fire Brigade in 2021.
The inspection unearthed alarming safety breaches: damaged fire doors, insufficient fire separation in living areas, compromised fire protection in the boiler room, and obstructed fire alarms. Electrical sockets were found in a dangerous state, either burnt out or loosely hanging.
Housing conditions were also dire, with pervasive dampness and mould, decayed single-glazed windows, and tenants resorting to cooking on camping stoves due to the absence of suitable kitchen facilities.
Councillor Cem Kemahli, Kensington & Chelsea’s lead member for planning and public realm, issued a stern warning to landlords and agents operating substandard accommodations, stating: “If you are offering poor quality accommodation, we will find you and we will come after you.”
He further stressed the commitment to improving housing standards, saying: “Our landlord licensing schemes are seeking out the bad operators to ensure safer homes for everyone and a fairer market for good operators.”
This is not Rasool’s first encounter with housing authorities. In February 2022, Camden Council imposed a banning order on him and three associates for the management of an unlicensed and hazardous property in Kilburn. Moreover, in 2021, Rasool was subject to the first Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) injunction against a landlord for harassment and illegal eviction attempts.
