A serial offender landlord has been accused of deliberately cramming in twice the number of tenants his property could safely accommodate. 

Hillingdon council investigated after receiving reports from concerned residents about the property on Hayes. Officers executed a warrant to enter the building in March 2023 and discovered clear breaches of the council’s planning enforcement notice as the property was still in use as an HMO. 

Despite the previous HMO licence stating only six households or people could live in the property, officers found it to be comprised of seven households and at least 14 people.  

Tarsem Dhillon was found guilty of breaching the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and the Housing Act 2004 following a trial in the same court on 24 May, this year. During sentencing the court heard that Dhillon illegally earned approximately £20,000 in rental income over a 10-month period of offending. 

The court also heard mitigation from Dhillon’s legal representative that his defendant \took his eye off the ball and the offences happened through carelessness” and that he had ongoing medical issues. 

District Judge Vergis said the defendant’s actions had adversely affected the community, that he had acted for financial gain and had not been honest during the trial, stating: “I did not find you a witness of truth. Your behaviour was a flagrant and deliberate breach of your responsibility as a landlord.” 

For the two offences, Dhillon was fined £20,000, he was further ordered to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge and the council’s prosecution costs of £6,729. 

Dhillon was previously fined more than £15,000 in March 2023 after illegally altering buildings he rented out as houses of multiple occupancy.  

A Hillingdon council spokesperson says: “This is another excellent result for our planning enforcement and private sector housing team and sends a clear message that we will not tolerate rogue landlords in our borough. Dhillon has persisted in flagrant disregard for the rules and responsibilities of a landlord, treating his tenants as nothing more than a commodity for financial gain, with them living in appalling, cramped conditions, and has shown a complete lack of respect to the local community.  

“We’re determined to create safe, strong communities where every resident has access to a high-quality secure home and are exploring measures to further tighten the regulation of HMOs in the borough. Any residents who suspect a property of being used illegally can anonymously let our private sector housing team know, and they will investigate.”