Council clamps down on rogue landlords in Leamington and Warwick

Monika Baty, who owns a property in Avenue Road in Leamington, pleaded guilty at Nuneaton and Bedworth magistrates court last week to having taken on more people as tenants than the licence permitted. She was fined £2,500 as well as costs.

Warwick District Council had issued a licence to let the property as a house in multiple occupation (HMO), which permitted no more than six people to live there - and that the basement rooms could not be used as accommodation.

Following complaints from tenants, a council officer visited last August and discovered the basement rooms were occupied, meaning there were ten people living there. Previous warnings had been disregarded by Mrs Baty.

Another Leamington landlord, Delwar King, who owns a property in Forfield Place, pleaded guilty to offences relating to repairs and management of the property and was fined £5,000 plus costs.

Warwick landlord Hardip Singh Hothi pleaded guilty to failing to licence a property in Saltisford and was fined £3,500 plus costs. Following a fire at the property last June, council officers carried out an investigation which found that the property should have been licensed as an HMO at the time of the fire.

And Lakbir Atwal pleaded guilty to failing to licence a property in Tachbrook Road in Leamington, despite having received several reminders. He was fined £2,500 plus costs.

Councillor Norman Vincett, responsible for policy on housing, said: “The vast majority of landlords work well with the council and provide good quality accommodation. But my officers will not hesitate to enforce the law where tenants’ health and safety is at risk and landlords blatantly disregard the law.

“Our private sector housing team works hard to safeguard vulnerable tenants in the sector and I encourage all landlords and tenants who require advice, help or support to contact the team.”

Call 456733 or email to [email protected]