Southend-on-Sea City Council has successfully prosecuted two property companies owned by Nick Neale, an estate agent with more than 25 years of experience, for operating an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) with serious safety breaches.
Westpoint Property Limited (the freeholder) and Griffin Residential Limited (now trading as Emoov) each pleaded guilty to nine offences, including failure to licence an HMO and breaches of HMO management regulations.
The case was heard at Basildon Magistrates Court. Westpoint Property Limited was ordered to pay a total of £14,282, while Griffin Residential Limited was fined £7,394. The amounts include fines and court costs.
The prosecution followed a council inspection in September 2023 at 115 York Road, Southend-on-Sea. Officers found the property operating as an unlicensed HMO with serious failings, including inadequate fire detection and firefighting equipment, poorly maintained communal areas, and a significant build-up of waste on the driveway.
Cllr Martin Terry, cabinet member for community safety and regulatory services, said: “Poorly managed and unlicensed HMOs are a real cause of concern in the city. These prosecutions send a clear message: we will take tough action against landlords and property companies who break the law and put residents at risk.
“The substantial fines imposed in this case demonstrate the seriousness of the offences and the Council’s determination to protect tenants and uphold standards.”
Lat month Emoov announced that a year after rebranding from Griffin Property Co, the online estate agency is setting its sights on further growth, with plans to expand its suite of digital tools and improve customer support services.
Under the leadership of Nick Neale, Emoov has strengthened its presence in the UK market over the past 12 months. The agency has reported growth in major urban centres including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and Glasgow.
Positioning itself as a tech-enabled alternative to traditional high-street agents, Emoov’s service starts at £395 upfront for sales and £59.50 for lettings.
Founded in 2010 by Russell Quirk with backing from former Dragons’ Den star James Caan, Emoov quickly became one of the UK’s most recognisable online estate agency brands. A 2018 merger with Sarah Beeny’s Tepilo marked a high point, but the company entered administration in 2019.
The brand was revived in 2021 under the ownership of Mashroom, a PropTech platform, and introduced a guaranteed offer service allowing homeowners to sell quickly through an instant buyout scheme. This initiative was supported by a multi-million-pound credit facility arranged with Selina Finance, a UK lender backed by GFC and Picus Capital.
However, the guaranteed offer model failed to gain significant traction. In response, Mashroom opted to offload the Emoov brand to Griffin Property Co.
The company’s growth has also been supported by the involvement of Neale’s children, who each hold active roles within the business.
Jacob contributes to onboarding and marketing, Jessica oversees customer service, buyer verification, and issuing memorandums of sale, while Sophie manages property administration and sales progression.
