London council issues £480k fine for landlord after fire and safety housing risk

A landlord and his company has been fined a total of £480,000 by Kensington and Chelsea council for poor housing conditions, including fire safety risks, in Hyde Park Gate.

The house, which was an unlicensed multiple occupancy (HMO), was reported to have burnt out and loose electrical sockets, covered smoke alarms, damaged fire doors and inadequate fire separation between bedrooms and protection in the boiler room.

An investigation was launched in 2020 after a tenant complaint, which found that the 22-bedroom house was illegally operating.

The council said that tenants were cooking using ‘camping-style facilities’ in their room as they did not have kitchen facilities, and that there was rising damp and mould growth through the property.

Housing “must be up to scratch” 

On 1 November, Blackstone Properties Management Limited and the Director of the company Mr Mohamed Ali Rasool, were fined a total of £480,000 plus costs at Westminster Magistrate Court.

Kensington and Chelsea Councillor and Lead Member for Planning and Public Realm, Cem Kemahli,  said: “Let this judgement be a clear lesson to other landlords and agents – if you are offering poor-quality accommodation we will find you and will come after you.

“We want the best homes in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. Our landlord licensing schemes are seeking out the bad operators to ensure safer homes for everyone and a fairer market for good operators.

“Privately rented homes form a crucial part of our housing mix but they must be up to scratch. Our teams stand by to help and assist landlords in answering concerns or offering suggestions about how to improve your properties.”

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