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Fines and prosecutions Birmingham landlord fined for regulation breaches


ANTHONY FREEMAN pleaded guilty to failure to obtain a house in multiple occupation (HMO) licence at a property in the city. Birmingham City Council


reported on the prosecution of Mr Freeman, who also pleaded guilty to ‘numerous’ breaches of HMO Management Regulations at the three storey property in Stockland Green. The property was let to ‘at least’ five individuals, and the council’s private rented services team undertook a joint operation with West Midlands Police to investigate the building. They found that the property had no smoke detectors in the bedrooms, as well as having no fire blanket in the kitchen, and ‘inadequate’ emergency lighting on the escape route. There were also missing staircase handrails, non compliant fire doors, and broken, leaking guttering and waste pipes. The council pointed out that Mr Freeman is an ‘experienced


HARBHAJAN SINGH Dhami was fined after his house in multiple occupation (HMO) was found to have fire hazards, along with other issues. Express and Star reported on


the prosecution over the HMO in Merridale Lane, Wolverhampton. Council inspectors visited after confirming that ‘no approval had been sought’ for conversion into flats, meaning it should be regulated under HMO regulations, with the property consisting of two sets of flats and 11 separate units. Staff found that seven flats


were lived in, and discovered fire hazards alongside electrical issues, damp and a ‘large pile of waste’. District Judge Murray stated that ‘it was clear that the property was a high fire risk’, with candles being used as well as ‘loose wiring’, while ‘one of the walls was separating from the structure leaving a gap’. A ‘blocked means of escape, missing banisters, inoperative fire alarm system and disconnected


12 MAY 2018 www.frmjournal.com


landlord whose main business is home improvements’, and that he was ‘well aware of the requirements of HMO licensing’. As he was housing ‘vulnerable tenants either on benefits or low incomes’ in a property with ‘inadequate’ fire protection, as well as in a ‘generally neglected’ condition, he was ‘putting the lives in danger of those tenants who relied on him to provide safe accommodation’.


Fine for HMO landlord over unsafe flats


smoke detectors’ meanwhile all ‘created a risk of smoke penetration and injury in the event of a fire’. The judge also noted that, apart from these risks, the damp throughout ‘posed a risk to health’, with Mr Dhami admitting to failing to resolve the 32 housing offences. He and his company Dhami Accommodation Ltd were ordered to pay fines, charges and costs totalling £33,995 at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court. Judge Murray added: ‘Mr Dhami


was a good landlord, with the exception of this property, where the issues of disrepair go back longer than the summons period. Mr Dhami blamed the tenants for the damage to the property but accepted that the tenants in the property were vulnerable and therefore the duty of care that he owed to his tenants was much greater.’ From company accounts


provided, ‘it was clear that the company had made a substantial profit’, and the judge considered the ‘totality’ of the offending. He said that


while Mr Dhami would be given credit for his guilty plea, he would however be ‘sentenced on the high risk involved’, due to the ‘lack of compliance when council officers had required him to correct these problems and a lack of response when he was given the opportunity.’ Peter Bilson, deputy leader and cabinet member for city assets and housing, commented: ‘We are determined to bring to task landlords who are not complying with housing laws and building regulations. Our residents’ health and wellbeing is of paramount importance to us and this case should act as a lesson to all landlords in the private sector. ‘Thankfully, the majority of


landlords in Wolverhampton abide by the rules and regulations and co-operate with the council. The council takes very seriously its commitment to monitoring the private housing sector and we will continue to do so to ensure tenants’ living standards are of the highest quality.’


At Birmingham Magistrates Court,


Mr Freeman was fined £25,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170, plus costs to the council of £2,454. Later in 2018, the council added, HMO licensing will be extended to all HMOs ‘occupied by five or more unrelated persons’, and this fine ‘sends out a message’ that it ‘will pursue anyone who lets unlicensed and/or substandard accommodation’


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