Rogue letting agents fined £14k for unlicensed HMOs in Camden

Two letting agents have been hit with £14,000 fines for unlicensed shared properties in Camden, north London.

The two rogue letting agents were prosecuted and fined at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court, as part of Camden Council’s ongoing action against those operating unlicensed houses of multiple occupation (HMO) in the borough.

Enjoy London Ltd and its director, Antonio Scarpignato, of Keighley Close in Holloway, pleaded guilty to operating unlicensed HMOs at Denton on Malden Crescent, and also at Alpha Court on Raglan Street. Enjoy London was fined £4,000 with costs, and Scarpignato fined £2,000 plus costs.

Another letting agent from Westminster was found guilty in his absence and fined £3,000 plus costs for also operating the unlicensed HMO at Alpha Court.

An investigation by Camden Council officers found that the rooms at both properties had been poorly sub-divided, creating small cramped living spaces.

There was also fire safety regulation breaches present at the Alpha Court flat with smoke alarms missing, with the sub-division creating a potential fire trap.

Enjoy London Ltd and the letting agent were fined an additional £2,000 and £3,000 respectively in court for these management breaches – taking the total fines related to the two properties to £14,000.

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