A letting agency has been ordered to pay almost £67,000 for mismanaging an HMO in Slough, with tenants left to live in ‘poor and unsafe’ conditions.
AM PM Estates has been ordered to pay £66,550 after a shocking inspection of one of its properties on Bath Road, SL1.
The local authority decided to inspect the property two years ago following reports of anti-social behaviour and drug use were reported by police, and subsequently found a number of issues with the property, including a broken oven and a broken lock on the front door.
AM PM Estates informed the council that it was carrying out regular inspections at the property and responding to reports of disrepair. But several inspections between May and August 2023 found no improvement.
The management division of the agency was issued a Civil Financial Penalty for each offence on 14 March 2024 totalling £77,925.
The firm appealed the amount to the First Tier Property Tribunal earlier thus year, and now the fine has been reduced to £66,550.
Cllr Ejaz Ahmed, lead member for Communities, Sport, Leisure and Public Protection, said: “During the investigation, this company was given numerous opportunities to take steps to bring the property back into compliance with the management regulations, but failed to do so.
“They failed to provide the service they were legally responsible for, leaving tenants living in poor and unsafe conditions.
“They now must pay a hefty penalty, which I hope will teach them a lesson and ensure they fulfil the service landlords pay them to do in future.”
In total there were 10 separate offences under The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006.
The offences were:
+ Failing to keep means of escape from fire clear from obstructions.
+ Failing to ensure that any firefighting equipment and fire alarms are maintained in good working order.
+ Failing to ensure that all notices indicating the location of means of escape from fire are displayed.
+ Failing to ensure that all common parts of the HMO are maintained in good and clean decorative repair.
+ Failing to ensure that all common parts of the HMO are kept reasonably clear from obstruction.
+ Failing to ensure that all handrails and banisters are at all times kept in good repair.
+ Failing to ensure that fixtures, fittings or appliances are maintained in good and safe repair and in clean working order.
+ Failing to ensure that the garden is kept in a safe and tidy condition.
+ Failing to ensure each room is maintained in good repair.
+ Failing to ensure that any fixtures, fittings or appliances within the rooms are maintained in good repair and in clean working order.
