HMO property management fine slashed from £480,000 to £50,000
Summary
A London HMO management company and landlord were convicted again over serious safety and licensing failures at a property in Hyde Park Gate, after a retrial reduced the original combined fine from £480,000 to £50,000. The court heard the building had been converted into 22 rooms from four bedrooms and was operating without the required HMO licence, with significant fire, damp, mould and general health and safety issues.
Why it matters
The case highlights the enforcement risk around HMO licensing, improvement notices and management regulations, all of which are directly relevant to residential property surveyors assessing multi-occupied stock. It also illustrates the severity of defects and hazards that can arise where conversion, maintenance and compliance are poorly managed.
Key points
- Landlord Mohammed Rasool and Blackstone Properties Management Limited were convicted of eight charges relating to HMO management failures.
- The property was operating without the required HMO licence and had not complied with an improvement notice.
- Council officers reported serious fire, health and safety risks, plus damp, mould and defective windows.
- The original £480,000 fine was reduced on retrial to a total of £50,000.
- The case reinforces local authority willingness to prosecute where landlords fail to remedy unsafe conditions.
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