A landlord has been ordered to pay out more than £10,000 for breaching safety regulations at his large HMO.
Amonbir Mander had turned the London Hotel in Stroud into an HMO and licensed it for 20 tenants when it was inspected in July 2022 by the district council’s environmental health officers, who found the building fell below acceptable safety standards and presented a serious fire safety risk.
Victim surcharge
Mander admitted the offence at Cheltenham Magistrates Court where he was fined £4,608 and ordered to pay investigation costs of £1,568 and the council’s legal costs of £4,112, along with a £190 victim surcharge.
Councillor Mattie Ross, chair of the council’s housing committee, says this prosecution should serve as a warning to landlords who don’t meet the required standards that it will take legal action to protect the health and safety of private sector tenants. She adds: “All landlords have a duty of care to their tenants. Prosecutions are costly and time consuming, and I am grateful for the diligence of our environmental health officers in this successful case.”
New owners
London Road Hotel is now in the hands of new owners, after it was sold by Mander before his court appearance. The new owners are working with council officers to improve standards.
