Landlord brothers have been hit with a £20,000 fine for their unlicensed HMO after enforcement officers found 15 tenants crammed into the seven-bedroom house in North London and a number of serious safety violations.

Vimal and Ravi Kanji Bhudia pleaded guilty at Willesden Magistrates Court to operating an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and breaching housing regulations, after Brent Council officers raided the Kenton property.

Heavy price

Councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson (pictured), cabinet member for housing and residents services at Brent Council. says the brothers have paid a ‘heavy price’ for acting ‘as if they were above the law.’

She told the Evening Standard: “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.”

The court heard that despite living close by to the HMO, the Bhudias repeatedly failed to respond to notices from Brent about licensing requirements. Council officials found students sleeping on floor mattresses with two or three occupants per room, smoke alarms had been covered with tin foil and safety doors had been removed.

This should serve as a stark reminder of the increasingly severe penalties facing landlords.”

Both brothers have now been placed on the rogue landlord database following their conviction. “This should serve as a stark reminder of the increasingly severe penalties facing landlords who breach HMO regulations,” Donnelly-Jackson said.

Under current legislation, landlords operating an unlicensed HMO can face unlimited fines if they are convicted as well as criminal records, civil penalties of up to £30,000 per offence and potential banning orders.

The prosecution comes amid growing pressure on the rental market, with local authorities across the UK intensifying enforcement action against non-compliant landlords as part of efforts to improve housing standards and protect vulnerable tenants.

Photo: Brent Council