A landlord in Tottenham has been ordered to pay 12 months of rent and a £2,500 fine for failing to license their HMO, Haringey Council has communicated.
The fine came after an initial warning was ignored.
Two landlords in Wood Green have also received Civil Penalty notices after failing to license their properties, with one being ordered to pay £5,000 and another £2,000.
To date, a total of 46 fines amounting to over £250,000 have been issued to landlords for failing to comply with the licensing scheme.
Cllr Sarah Williams, cabinet member for housing services, Private Renters and Planning, said: “Thanks to the hard work of council officers, legal action has been taken against landlords that have failed to license their properties.
“Haringey Council has a zero-tolerance policy to rogue landlords; in one case the landlord has been made to repay £20,000 in rent to their tenants. Our licencing scheme is in place for a reason: to protect Haringey’s private renters by ensuring their homes are safe and well maintained.
“A tightly regulated and professionalised landlord industry helps protect and promote our good landlords, and creates a safer, healthier and more accountable rented sector for tenants. Our existing HMO licensing scheme needs to be renewed next year so I’d encourage all residents, particularly those living in the private rented sector, to take part in the consultation that will help shape our new scheme.”
A property is classed as an HMO if at least three unrelated tenants are living in the property, and they share bathroom or toilet facilities and/or kitchen.
The existing additional HMO Licensing scheme designation will be coming to an end early next year. Residents across Haringey are invited to give their thoughts on a new proposed additional HMO (Houses in Multiple Occupation) licensing scheme.
https://www.propertywire.com/news/uk/north-london-landlord-forced-to-return-20000-of-rent/
