David William Westcott (age 59), who operates his business ‘Hartbourne Holdings Ltd’ from ‘The Property Shop’ at 16 Park Street Luton attended Luton Magistrates Court on 28 September and was found guilty of operating an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
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The council became aware of the property after receiving a complaint from a parent of one of the tenant.
Officers from Luton’s Private Sector Housing team visited the property to find that it was an HMO that required a license. The was occupied by 5 tenants and had operated as an unlicensed HMO for over a year.
The court fined Mr Westcott, who pleaded guilty to the charge, £1,500 plus a £15 victim surcharge and ordered him to pay costs of £225.
Cllr Tom Shaw, Portfolio Holder for housing, said: “HMOs need to be licensed to protect the health, safety and wellbeing of the occupants and to prevent them living in overcrowded conditions with insufficient facilities. This property was not licensed so we took the appropriate action.
“The Council takes the condition of the private rented sector very seriously and we have recently embarked on a programme of inspecting all known Houses in Multiple Occupation within Luton.
“We will not hesitate to take further court action should any other offences be committed so if anyone living near or knowing of such a property which they believe to be an unlicensed HMO should contact the council on 01582 54 72 22.”
More information for HMO tenants and landlords is available from www.communities.gov.uk or www.rpts.gov.uk, or by contacting the Council’s Private Sector Housing team on 01582 54 72 22 or [email protected]
Further Information.
An HMO is a building or part of a building such as a flat occupied by more than one household and where more than one household shares an amenity such as a bathroom, toilet or cooking facilities.
Any HMO of three or more stories such as basements and attic rooms, with five or more occupants from more than one household, must be licensed by the Council. Failure to apply for or comply with the terms of an HMO licence is a criminal offence.
The purpose of licensing these properties is to ensure that they have adequate and safe means of escape from fire and to ensure that the property is fitted with an appropriate fire alarm system.
Licensing also ensures that the property is suitable for the number of people living at the property and to ensure that the property is managed properly and that the licence holder and/or manager of the property is a fit and proper person.
