A property management company in London has been fined £30,000 after failing to licence three flats it had been operating as Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs).
Crown Managed Properties Ltd and its director, 28-year-old Elliot Gambino received six fines at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court for the unlicensed properties in Camden, North London.
Council officers from the London Borough of Camden discovered shocking conditions during early-morning raids at the apartments, which are on Camden road, at Penhurst on Marsden Street and Welford Court (pictured, above) on Castlehaven Road.
This included sham ‘lodger agreements’ issued to tenants, tiny rooms with no means of escape and inadequate fire detection within all the properties.
It was also found that the HMOs were being offered via a ‘rent to rent’ scheme advertised via Spareroom.com.
After hearing evidence, the court fined both the company and Gambino £5,000 for each property.
“We will not allow a minority to spoil it for most landlords and lettings agents who play by the rules and ensure they are running a properly licensed HMO property,” says Councillor Meric Apak, Cabinet Member for Better Homes at Camden Council (left).
“We work with them in turn to ensure the property is properly maintained for the good of its tenants.”
Crown Managed Properties Ltd was incorporated in October 2017 and was until recently due to be compulsorily dissolved and is behind in its paperwork at Companies House. Gambino is also listed as the director of a soft drinks firm which has also faced compulsory strike-off action, official records show.
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