A landlord from Birmingham has been ordered to pay £24,158 in fines and costs after admitting to not applying for an HMO licence and breaching a number of safety regulations.

Mr Salih Mahfood Hassan Mohamed used to have an HMO licence at the property in question, but it expired in May 2014 and was not renewed despite several reminders. 

Last year, West Midlands Fire Service referred the case to Birmingham City Council over concerns about living conditions at the property.

On inspection, housing officers found that the fire alarm system was not working, and Mr Mohamed was storing a step ladder, wood and rubbish on the escape route of the property.

The self-closers on the fire doors weren’t working, the front door lock was faulty, and the rear yard was overgrown and full of rubbish.

Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for Housing and Homes, Cllr Peter Griffiths, said: “HMO licensing exists because tenants living in this type of accommodation are almost 17 times more likely to be killed in a fire than an adult living in a similar single-occupancy house. 

“West Midlands Fire Service raised concerns about this property and our officers found a shocking list of breaches.

“Mr Mohamed left the country for a period of time but whilst he ensured that a friend continued to collect the rent on his behalf, he failed to keep his tenants safe, leaving them to live in appalling conditions and at considerable risk.”

Original source

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