Three people have been prosecuted and fined a total of £17,604 for letting an unlicensed HMO in Barnsley.

Council officers also identified major issues in need of repair at the property, including damp, mould, and fire hazards.

An Improvement Notice was served on the owner and two managing agents, along with a notice requesting relevant safety documents for the property. 

The property owner and managing agents failed to act on either notice within the set timeframe, leading to the trio’s prosecution by the council.

Owner Hassan Fahri pled guilty to operating an unlicensed HMO, failing to provide documents, and being in breach of an improvement notice. Fahri was ordered to pay a total of £9,457.50 (made up of a £5,120 fine, £2,000 victim surcharge and £2,337.50 in costs).

One of the property’s managing agents, Howard James Przadkiewicz, pled guilty to the same three offences and was ordered to pay a total of £6,069.50 (made up of a £2,666 fine, £1,066 victim surcharge, and 2,377.50 in costs).

The second managing agent, Danny Shirt, pled guilty to breach of HMO regulations and failing to provide documents. Shirt was ordered to pay a total of £2,077 (made up of a £769 fine, £308 victim surcharge, and £1,000 in costs).

A council spokesperson says: “This is a positive result for our team, who do fantastic work to make sure the regulations that help to keep tenants safe are upheld across our borough.

“The licensing of HMOs means we’re able to make sure conditions in rented properties are safe, and take action where standards are not met. Failing to license an HMO can put tenants at risk, and our team are working hard to hold landlords who do so accountable.”