Uxbridge Magistrates Court found Javeed Hossain guilty of failing to obtain the requisite Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence for his property in Harlington, west London.
When officers from Hillingdon Council visited the property, they required Hossain to obtain an HMO licence limiting the property to six tenants, but on revisiting they found he had breached the licence by instead allowing 10 to occupy it. In addition, fire safety breaches found a lack of a working fire alarm or smoke and heat detectors, inadequate fire doors and an absence of emergency illuminated exit signs on the stairs.
Member for planning, transportation and recycling, councillor Keith Burrows, commented: ‘This unscrupulous landlord put his tenants\’ lives at risk by neglecting to ensure that an adequate fire safety system was in place, and the consequences could have been fatal if a fire had broken out. He also put his greed before their welfare by cramming too many people into the house and pocketing the rent. I am pleased that the courts have imposed such a heavy fine on Mr Hossain, reflecting the seriousness of his offences.’
