A letting agent who let out his flat without a licence or planning permission has been handed a £16,320 Rent Repayment Order.

Sunil Ravji Bhundia, the manager of Harsun & Co Ltd in Willesden, rented the one-bedroom property – one of five flats – which he owned jointly with Shashikant Maganlal in Chicele Road, Cricklewood, to Irene Rodriguez Pinedo and Matteo Vinci in March 2020.

A First Tier Property Tribunal heard that Brent Council had introduced a selective licensing scheme in 2018 covering any rented house in the Mapesbury ward.

In July 2021, it carried out an unannounced inspection and wrote to the landlords warning them to apply for a licence. In October, Bhundia tried to make an online application but this was rejected because the flat had been converted without planning approval.

The tenants had made a number of complaints about the condition of the flat when they moved in, reporting it had not been cleaned and that they had found mice traps and a dead mouse.

Intercom failure

An old and broken table had been left in a wardrobe and the intercom wasn’t working, which was not repaired for 12 months. Builders were finally sent in 10 days before the tenants left in April 2022.

The tribunal judge said he was satisfied that Bhundia was aware of the proceedings but had made an informed decision not to engage with them.

He added: “We see no reason for making any reduction from the sum sought. Mr Bhundia is the manager of a firm of estate agents. He should have been aware of the need to license this flat.”

As well as the Rent Repayment Order, Bhundia was also ordered to pay £300 in costs.

Read how London councils are encouraging tenants to apply for RROs.