Midlands letting agent and landlord given three-year ban

A landlord agent has been banned from letting property or engaging in letting agency or property management work across Warwickshire after showing ‘a blatant disregard for the health, safety, and welfare’ of his tenants.

Polish landlord, Grzegorz Surminski, was known to sub-let property in Leamington Spa and was also a director of Leamington Rooms Limited, a company set up to develop building projects and manage property on a fee or contract basis.

BANNING ORDER

But Warwick District Council Private Sector Housing secured a banning order against Surminski – which takes effect from tomorrow (December 19) – which bans Surminski from letting property or engaging in letting agency or property management work across the country for a period of three years.

This is the first ever banning order made in favour of Warwick District Council and was issued by the First Tier Tribunal Property Chamber at the beginning of the month.

The Tribunal heard that Council Officers had inspected 22 St Brides Close, Leamington Spa in 2022 and found it had been sub-let by Surminski as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in eight bedsits. The property was found to be totally deficient in fire precautions, was overcrowded and in serious disrepair. The HMO required an HMO licence, but no such application had been made.

The Neg revealed last year how Surminski was prosecuted at Coventry Magistrates Court in September 2022 for failing to licence the HMO, failing to comply with an Improvement Notice, breaches of the HMO Management Regulations and failure to comply with a Requisition for Information notice. He was fined £31,000.

POOR LETTING PRACTICES

The Tribunal heard that the Private Sector Housing team had been concerned for some time about the poor letting practices of Surminski, who had also been operating as Leamington Rooms Limited.

Officers had also investigated cases of illegal eviction, but the tenants often felt intimidated and were not prepared to give evidence in court.

Councillor Paul Wightman, Portfolio Holder for Housing Services, says: “I am delighted that Warwick District Council has managed to secure its first banning order.

“This clearly sends a strong message to private landlords and others engaged in letting property that the Council will not tolerate those who ignore their legal responsibilities and show a blatant disregard for the health, safety, and welfare of their tenants.”