Failing to improve the poor living conditions at his buy to let rental property has cost a landlord more than £12,500 in fines and costs after his prosecution.
The buy to let landlord based in Bedford, Mr Balwinder Singh Chandi, owns a property in Bedford Road, Marston Moretaine, a small village near Bedford.
Following a visit by council officers to the buy to let rental property, he was served with an Improvement Notice by Central Bedfordshire Council as a result of the poor living conditions found at the rental property.
However, the landlord did not make the necessary improvements within the timescale laid down by the council, and as a result of his failure to rectify the poor living conditions Central Bedfordshire Council decided to take the matter the matter further, resulting in a court date.
The council took the case to Luton Magistrates Court on 18 December 2018, where Mr Balwinder Singh Chandi pleaded guilty and received a fine of £10,000.
In addition to the large fine for failing to improve the poor living conditions at the HMO rental property, the landlord was forced to pay a victim surcharge of £170 and also ordered to pay costs of £2,356.33 – Therefore required to pay a total of £12,526.33.
Speaking after the court case, Cllr Carole Hegley, Executive Member for Adults, Social Care and Housing Operations at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: ‘Landlords of Houses in Multiple Occupation must apply for a licence, which is in place to ensure that tenants are safe.’
She continued: ‘Despite us requesting that improvements be made, the landlord carried on and has paid the price.”
Landlords who fail to apply for a licence for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) will be committing an offence which may result in a prosecution, criminal conviction and a large fine.
Source: Residential Landlord