Zaheer Uddin Babar, who owns the property in Northampton, was first contacted by the local council in March 2015 requesting that he licenses it as a House in Multiple Occupation.

After ignoring five more requests to apply for a licence, council officials gained a warrant and inspected the property in June 2019. Finding several breaches of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 they subsequently issued two Improvement Notices.

The hazards included missing banisters and handrails on staircases, a waterlogged and partially collapsed ceiling, exposed electrical wiring and a faulty fire door and fire alarm.

There were other problems discovered including faulty windows, broken external doors, the kitchen and bathroom needed maintenance work and were filthy; there was a severe case of damp and mould throughout the property.

The Northampton cabinet member for housing and wellbeing councillor Stephen Hibbert, commented: “The conditions in this property were squalid and hazardous, and posed a real danger to the tenants living there.

“Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure that properties are clean, safe and in working order for their tenants, and our Housing Enforcement Team will continue to take action against such failings, through their extensive surveillance work and information received from local residents.”

The landlord lodged an appeal to the First Tier Tribunal to no avail as it upheld the civil penalties for the total amount of £50,500. So far, the guilty landlord has paid £500 against one of the penalties but has been issued with a stark warning that he must pay the remaining £50,000 within 28 days.

If he fails to pay the remainder of the penalties then the council will have no other recourse than to take action for payment of the debt which could result in having to enforce the sale of his property.
The council is also assisting the eight tenants to recoup up to 12 months of rent paid to the offender.