Landlords fined £13k over Hastings shared housing offences

Two landlords have been fined more than £13,000 in total over shared housing licence breaches in Hastings after being taken to court by the council.

A London property management company were found guilty of nine house in multiple occupation (HMO) licence breaches at a house in Carisbrooke Road.

While a St Leonards landlord was prosecuted for not having an HMO licence and fined nearly £2,000 at Hastings magistrates court on January 27.

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Hastings Borough Council’s lead member for housing Kim Forward said: “These prosecutions are an excellent result and we hope that they act as a warning to those landlords and property managers who compromise the wellbeing and safety of their tenants.”

Kapoor Estates Ltd, of Bessborough Road, Harrow on the Hill, London, was found guilty on nine charges, three not proven, after an all day trial regarding the Carisbrooke Road property.

The nine charges included failure to provide a means of escape, fire alarms and emergency lighting and failure to ensure that the common areas and installations were maintained and in good repair.

All the charges related to conditions on the HMO licence and are offences under the Housing Act 2004.

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Kapoor Estates was fined £1000 for each offence with costs of £2272.

On the same day, a company secretary from 23 Magdalen Road St Leonards Ltd, of Plynlimmon Road, was prosecuted for failing to licence an HMO.

The secretary did not attend court but was proven guilty in absence and fined £1,000, costs of £884.79 and a victim surcharge of £100.

“Everyone has a right to a decent home and we have a duty to protect tenants from rogue landlords so we will continue to seek out unlicensed properties and prosecute owners who breach legislation requirements,” Cllr Forward added.

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For more information about HMO’s and licensing visit www.hastings.gov.uk HMO and Licence information.

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