Three people have been prosecuted and fined a total of £17,604 for renting out an unlicensed house of multiple occupancy (HMO) in Barnsley.
Our officers visited a property on Gold Street, finding that it was being used as an unlicensed HMO. The team also identified major issues in need of repair at the property, including damp, mould, and fire hazards.
An Improvement Notice was served on the owner and two managing agents, along with a notice requesting relevant safety documents for the property. The property owner and managing agents failed to act on either notice within the set timeframe, leading to the trio’s prosecution by the council’s Legal Services in court last Thursday 25 July.
The owner of the property, Hassan Fahri (56) of Blackfen Road, pled guilty to operating an unlicensed HMO, failing to provide documents, and being in breach of an improvement notice. Mr Fahri was ordered to pay a total of £9,457.50 (made up of a £5,120 fine, £2,000 victim surcharge and £2,337.50 in costs).
One of the property’s managing agents, Howard James Przadkiewicz (36) of Copster Close, pled guilty to the same three offences and was ordered to pay a total of £6,069.50 (made up of a £2,666 fine, £1,066 victim surcharge, and 2,377.50 in costs).
The second managing agent, Danny Shirt (32) of Columbia Street, pled guilty to breach of HMO regulations and failing to provide documents. Mr Shirt was ordered to pay a total of £2,077 (made up of a £769 fine, £308 victim surcharge, and £1,000 in costs).
Cllr Wendy Cain, Cabinet Spokesperson for Public Health and Communities, said: “This is a positive result for our team, who do fantastic work to make sure the regulations that help to keep tenants safe are upheld across our borough.
The licensing of HMOs means we’re able to make sure conditions in rented properties are safe, and take action where standards are not met. Failing to license an HMO can put tenants at risk, and our team are working hard to hold landlords who do so accountable.”
If you operate a property which is, or could be, occupied as a HMO by five or more people, you need to apply to us for a licence. If you don't have a licence you may be prosecuted or fined up to £30,000. You can find out more about applying for a HMO licence on our website.
