Landlord brothers fined £20K for illegal letting

Two brothers have received a £20,000 fine and been put on the "rogue landlord" database after 15 tenants were found crammed inside a seven-bed property in north London.

Vimal and Ravi Kanji Bhudia rented out the property to students who slept on mattresses on the floor with two or three to a room.

Brent Council housing enforcement officers went to the property in Kenton in July 2023 after reports of its unlicensed operation as a house of multiple occupancy (HMO). They found the smoke alarms had been covered and safety doors removed.

The brothers pleaded guilty to failing to license the property and breaching housing regulations.

Landlords of HMOs can receive an unlimited fine on conviction and a criminal record if they do not have a licence, and can face a civil penalty of up to £30,000 for each offence and be banned from running a rental property.

Despite living locally, the landlords failed to respond to notices from the council about the need for an HMO licence.

They appeared at Willesden Magistrates Court last week, which heard they had been given "a significant amount of time and opportunities" to respond.

The brothers have paid a "heavy price" for acting "as if they were above the law", cabinet member for housing and residents services Fleur Donnelly-Jackson said.

"Every landlord in Brent is legally required to have a licence.

"The law exists to protect tenants from rogue landlords who overcrowd their homes and ignore fire safety regulations while pocketing their tenants' money. Every Brent resident has the right to live in a safe and secure home."

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