A struck-off solicitor and an estate agent who managed a house shared by 12 tenants who lived in filthy conditions have been branded slum landlords by their local council.
Both picked up rents from the tenants for an absent owner in Nigeria but failed to run the house in multiple occupation according to strict licensing rules and safety regulations. Continue reading Struck-off solicitor branded slum landlord for house of filth
Fifteen people were found living in an overcrowded and unlicensed house in multiple occupation raised by a team of police and housing officers after a tip from the UK Border Agency.
They found the three-storey flat in Balham, South London, had no fire safety precautions and furniture, rubbish and clothing was strewn over communal stairs; the only escape route in an emergency. Continue reading HMO raid uncovered 15 tenants living in a filthy flat
Deposits
As has been outlined in previous communications, the deposit rules change from 6 April 2012. The most important change is that from that date where a deposit is taken, it must be protected in one of the three Government approved schemes, and the Prescribed Information provided within 30 DAYS. This is an absolute time limit, and failure will mean that no Section 21 Notice can be served. We have heard that there are some unscrupulous agents that have been advising that the legislation is retrospective, and offering, at a fee to help landlords. This is not the case. If anyone comes across such tactics, please advise the office. Landlords need not worry, but please be very much aware of the new rules. Continue reading Eastern Landlords Association April 2012 NEWSLETTER
HMO landlord Lookman Adeyemi has been jailed for four months and ordered to pay £10,000 costs after admitting flouting fire safety rules after a blaze that killed a 29 year old mum and her three year old daughter.
The unlicensed shared house in Milton Keynes was set alight in an arson attack against another tenant by his spurned lover, who is serving a prison sentence for manslaughter. Continue reading Landlord jailed after mum and daughter die in arson blaze
A landlord who told a court he misunderstood shared house rules was fined £1,000 for failing to licence his property and fit fire safety equipment.
Anton McLoughlin, 47, thought he did not need a house in multiple occupation licence because although six tenants lived there, he had divided the property into three separate flats. Continue reading Landlord fined £1,000 after HMO licensing mix-up
The landlord of a shared house where a mum and her three-year-old daughter died in an arson attack may face jail for ignoring fire safety laws.
They died when a spurned girlfriend set light to her former boyfriend’s room in an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Milton Keynes last year. Continue reading Landlord may face jail over HMO arson killings
Fraudster Rose Chimuka conned landlords of out of more than £100,000 by posing as a mum to rent their homes and then sub-letting them to dozens of tenants.
She was jailed for four years and three months at Croydon Crown Court after admitting 11 fraud charges.
The court was told Chimuka, 32, posed as a mum of three who wanted to let a home for her family to six London landlords using various aliases. Continue reading Landlords conned out of £100,000 in subletting scam
Deposits
Three cheers for competition. A few weeks ago TDS, The Dispute Service, announced Deposit Guard, which at launch undercut the costs charged by My Deposits, and made a push for self-managing landlords, rather than agents. My Deposits have retaliated, by reducing their fees for agents, but not landlords. This may follow, and we shall keep members informed. The third, custodial scheme, used by many, as a free scheme is not affected.
Continue reading Eastern Landlords Association MARCH 2012 NEWSLETTER
An HMO landlord was fined £4,000 for letting 16 tenants live in filthy and dangerous conditions – including in a back garden shed.
Council investigators raided a shared house owned by Sandeep Bhambra after a tenant complained a ceiling had collapsed in her rented room. Continue reading HMO landlord let tenants live in a garden shed
Dozens of firms offer to help shared house landlords claim thousands of pounds in lost tax reliefs – but does the lost relief really exist?
The confusion surrounds houses in multiple occupation – HMOs – which are homes where several tenants have their own rooms, but share cooking and bathroom facilities.
Tax rules ban claiming capital items, like boilers and fire safety equipment in residential property unless they are in communal areas. Continue reading Are HMO landlords really missing out on tax relief?
