Birmingham Landlord Fined for Illegally Renting Rooms

A landlord has been ordered to pay nearly £20,000 for illegally renting rooms and failing to maintain his Birmingham property.

Amrik Singh Gill, 56, of Vernon Avenue, Birmingham, was fined a total of £19,418.57 for failing to obtain a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence, breaching HMO Management Regulations and was ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge. He pleaded guilty to the offences at Birmingham Magistrates' Court earlier this month after an inspection of the property was carried out by council officers.

The inspection revealed that Mr Singh Gill had failed to maintain fire alarms in the property as well as failing to correctly displaying notices indicating the escape route. He also failed to ensure the water supply and drainage systems were working, with officers discovering a leak in the kitchen soil and vent pipe.

Councillor John Cotton, Birmingham City Council's cabinet member for Neighbourhood Management and Homes, said:

"A tenant living in bedsit accommodation such as this property is almost 17 times more likely to be killed in a fire than an adult living in a similar single-occupancy house.

"It is because of these shocking statistics that HMO licensing exists and officers carry out checks to ensure the safety of tenants.

"Mr Gill not only provided his tenants with what can only be described as shoddy accommodation, he also put his tenants' lives at risk and I welcome the fine imposed by Birmingham Magistrates Court."

If you're having problems with your landlord or rental accommodation, contact our tenant solicitors on 0845 603 0708 for advice.

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