The landlord of an HMO that was found to be overcrowded has been fined £7,500 in a tribunal.

The house in Portsmouth was licensed for five people in five separate rooms. A housing officer from the city council visited the home in May 2023, in response to an application to increase the licence to six people. 

While there, the officer found a family of three living in one room, meaning that seven people in total were living in the house.

The landlord had an agent letting the property on his behalf and fines were issued to both the managing agent and landlord. The landlord appealed these at a tribunal at the beginning of September 2024 as he wrongly thought that he wasn’t responsible for making sure the home was correctly occupied. 

However, the landlord was the named licence holder and was found to be responsible and told to pay the fine. The agent helped the family to find alternative accommodation, and they have since moved to a more appropriate property.

A spokesperson for the council says: “Residents living around HMOs can be assured that the council will go after landlords and agents who don’t stick to the rules.  People living in shared housing must not be exploited.  We will be tough on rogue landlords – there are no excuses. The warning is stick to the rules.”