Oct

TENANT fined £31,300 for sub-let operation within illegal HMO

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A tenant has been fined £31,300 for sub-letting an unlicensed HMO in Leamington Spa that posed a serious health and safety risk.

Grzegorz Surminski rented the six-bedroom property through Golden Key Letting Agents and was sub-letting to eight tenants when the property was inspected by Warwick Council’s housing team, after one of them made a complaint.

They discovered the house – in St Brides Close, Sydenham – had no working smoke detectors, fire doors or fire safety equipment. There were also numerous issues including unsafe electrics, no working shower and broken floor tiles in the bathroom.

One tenant had been given a mouldy mattress to sleep on and there were large piles of rubbish in the back garden as well as insufficient wheelie bins.

Failing

Surminski was found guilty at Coventry Magistrates Court and fined £10,000 for failing to apply for a HMO licence, £10,000 for failing to comply with an Improvement Notice relating to fire safety and £10,000 for failing to comply with the HMO Management Regulations.

He also received a £1,000 fine for failure to provide details about the ownership and occupation of the property along with a £150 victim surcharge and £150 costs.

Councillor Jan Matecki (pictured), the portfolio holder for housing services, says Surminski’s actions placed the tenants’ health and safety at serious risk.

He adds: “It is reassuring that the courts recognise the gravity of these offences, and it is hoped that the level of fine handed out will be a strong deterrent to others who may be tempted to let a property in this way.”

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