Date Published 04 February 2020
A buy-to-let Landlord with properties across North London has been handed a fine for continuously ignoring Selective Licensing Laws.
Stephen Ige pleaded guilty in Willesden Magistrate Court to knowingly renting out three properties to tenants without a licence from Brent Council.
Prior to this case, Ige was found to be illegally letting out two other properties requiring licences, was fined £5,000 and warned to make sure he applied for property licences where required but continued to ignore the law.
In this case, Ige was ordered to pay £25,000 for each of the unlicensed properties, £5,000 for failing to supply documents to the council when requested, and £10,763 in court costs to the council, totalling £90,863 including a victim surcharge.
‘Renting out a property is a serious business. In Brent, we have introduced selective licensing to ensure that the tenants are living in safe, well managed homes. Licensing does this by making sure properties are properly managed by a Landlord or Agent, setting standards that the Landlord must meet for the benefit of the occupiers and the community in general. If you are a Landlord in a selective licensing area, failing to licence your property puts you at risk of being prosecuted and fined. While the council did not identify any serious concerns with the current state of Mr Ige's properties, our licensing scheme is designed to give Tenants confidence that they are living in homes that are safe. Challenging landlords who don't comply is a priority' Cllr Eleanor Southwood, cabinet member for housing and welfare reform at Brent Council
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