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Rogue Landlord and Letting Agents Fined £20k for Failing to License Property
This article is an external press release originally published on the Landlord News website, which has now been migrated to the Just Landlords blog.
A rogue landlord and letting agents have been fined over £20,000 and given criminal records for failing to license his property in Willesden and ignoring tenants’ pleas for essential repairs.
The rogue landlord had left the property in a terrible state of repair
Despite repeated warnings from Brent Council’s Private Housing Services officers, Khalid Latif and his letting agents PMC Management and Collections did not act upon the notices to bring the property on Chandos Road in Willesden Green up to a licensable standard.
The six tenants that lived at the four-bedroom property approached the council to complain about the poor living conditions at the house, which included no hot water or central heating, rotten and damp fittings and disregard of basic fire safety measures.
Watford-based Mr. Latif, who has owned the run-down property since 2000, was earning more than £2,500 per month in rent from the home.
Brent Magistrates’ Court was told that Brent Council had repeatedly contacted both Mr. Latif and PMC Management and Collections over an eight-month period and visited the property on several occasions, finding that no repairs had been undertaken.
Both the rogue landlord and letting agents were convicted of failing to license the property. The court also considered the hazards found in the property to be aggravated, and fined both Mr. Latif and PMC Management and Collections £9,500, with another £695 each in costs and £120 each in a victim surcharge – a total of £20,630.
Councillor Harbi Farah, Brent Council’s Lead Member for Housing, comments on the case: “Unlicensed, unsafe properties like this are a danger to the entire community and it is unacceptable that anyone in London should have to rent a property that lacks basic facilities like hot water.
“The vast majority of landlords and letting agents in Brent are honest and law abiding, but we take a zero tolerance approach to the minority who think they can treat their tenants like this.”
She adds: “Our licensing scheme ensures that landlords maintain their rental properties to a decent standard. If you’re a landlord, failure to license your property could result in an unlimited fine and a criminal record.”
The majority of private landlords in Brent are legally required to obtain a license from the council. Find out more here and avoid being named and shamed as a rogue landlord!
