Landlord fined after no room to swing a cat

Published: 15/02/2013

A landlord has been fined £2500 after he unlawfully let out a room in an HMO property which measured just 4.5 metres squared.

According to landlord law bedrooms in House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) properties must be at least 6.5m squared for a single occupant and 10m squared when let to two people.

However one room in a Redhill-based property fell significantly outside of these restrictions when Environmental Health Officers found the room occupied in March 2012 despite it being initially deemed as too small to let back in 2007.

Landlord Mr Mohammed Sarwar was convicted of breaching an overcrowding notice and fined the maximum £2500.

GW LET lawyer, John Jones, comments:

“When it comes to letting property there are many laws landlords must adhere to. HMO dimensions is a just one.

“Such laws are in place to protect the welfare of tenants and it is the landlord’s responsibility to assure they follow them to the letter; as this case highlights, failure to do so can prove costly.

“Any landlord concerned about HMO rules or other letting laws such as evicting a tenant in rent arrears should contact our specialist legal team as soon as possible.”

Content correct at time of publication