A council has prosecuted a landlord after a family of nine were discovered living in an outbuilding.

Tariq Khan of Peterborough was convicted of failing to comply with a prohibition order in relation to outbuildings in the town and was fined a total of £5,800.

The court heard that Peterborough council  officers had first attended the address in 2016 and discovered a number of hazards. 

The building was found to be in a poor condition with inadequate lighting, ventilation and fire safety measures. The officers found the dwelling was also too small to be reasonably occupied by an individual.

The council served an order prohibiting the use of the outbuilding for residential purposes.

In October 2022, officers attended the property and discovered the small building was being rented to a family of nine, including five children.

On January 31 this year Khan was convicted of failing to comply with a prohibition order under section 32 of the Housing Act 2004. 

He was fined £2,000, ordered to pay £2,000 costs to the council and ordered to pay a £800 surcharge. The building is currently empty.

A spokesperson for the council says: “This prosecution should serve as a warning to the small minority of landlords who put their tenants at risk and flout the law. Landlords play an essential role in providing safe, warm and healthy homes to the residents of Peterborough.

“We will take enforcement action under the range of powers available to us if we discover landlords who flagrantly disregard the law.”