Landlord Fined for Illegal HMO Conversion
A landlord incurred a fine of £12,000 after converting a three‐bed bungalow into a 15‐room house of multiple occupation in Egham, Surrey—a transformation that compromised resident safety by creating conditions that inspectors found to be hazardous, including rooms accessible only by crawling and bathrooms overtaken by mould, with a scant provision of smoke alarms and merely one kitchen alongside two bathrooms allocated for all occupants; the local council, having documented profound health and safety violations, encountered initial refusal that compelled the procurement of a warrant for property inspection, a process which unveiled cramped living conditions evidenced by the use of camp beds by certain residents, thereby casting a stark light on systemic failures in the management of rental properties.
The landlord’s imposition of a victim surcharge amounting to £2,000, combined with the principal fine, underscores a punitive response aimed at halting the practice of neglecting established housing standards and impeding any further disregard for mandated regulatory compliance in the sector.
Summary
The case encapsulates significant hazards emerging from the conversion of residential structures into HMOs under noncompliant conditions, mandating that rental investors maintain rigorous adherence to housing regulations so as to forestall legal infractions and preserve tenant safety.
