A rogue landlord who ignored requests to raise standards at his two unlicensed properties has been hit with a bill of more than £45,000.

Mohammed Ammar Hussain, of Bennetts End Road, Hemel Hempstead, appeared at St Albans Magistrates’ Court where he admitted failing to apply for an HMO licence, along with three offences of failing to comply with management duties relating to property conditions.

Dacorum Borough Council’s private sector housing team were first alerted to three of his properties in Hemel Hempstead (pictured) in September 2022. These were operating illegally as HMOs and had multiple hazards including a lack of working fire alarms.

When Hussain failed to submit licence applications, inspectors made a return visit in January 2023 and discovered two of the properties were still operating as unlicensed HMOs and that the landlord had failed to put right all the hazards.

Prosecution

Hussain was ordered to pay fines of £13,450, a victim surcharge of £2,000 and £29,856 prosecution costs.

Councillor Simy Dhyani (pictured), portfolio holder for housing and property services, says: “We recognise that most landlords are responsible and law abiding, caring deeply about providing the highest standards in their home.

“However, there is a small minority of landlords who choose not to comply with the law and their tenants suffer as a result. I’m very proud of the team for achieving this excellent result on behalf of our residents - it demonstrates our housing strategy commitment to championing the provision of safe, warm, and dry homes across the borough and putting our residents at the heart of everything we do.”

Pic credit: Shutterstock/Altaf Shah

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