Eight criminal landlords (five individuals and three companies) have been fined £434,000 for offences under the Housing Act 2004, including the operation of 14 unlicensed houses in multiple occupation (HMO) and a catalogue of breaches relating to fire safety, tenant information and maintenance of the properties.
West Northamptonshire Council’s (WNC) Private Sector Housing Team began investigating the gang and their activities in 2019 and attended the properties under a Housing Warrant in September 2020 and January 2021 after concerns were raised over safety.
The five individuals used a range of false and misleading documents to acquire properties from high street letting agents, purporting to be taking on properties for themselves as single family properties before converting them to HMOs. They then set up companies to handle the rent payments between themselves, the tenants and the property owners.