A landlord who illegally rented out rooms in an unlicensed HMO has been ordered to repay more than £30,000 in housing benefit that he received for the flats.
Landlord Mehmet Parlak was prosecuted by Haringey Council because he should have licensed the two properties, and had ignored warnings to do so.
The Residential Property Tribunal has now awarded the council a repayment of £32,278 in housing benefit payments for the properties.
It is the first time the council has won rent repayments following a landlord’s failure to license a mandatory HMO.
Cllr Nilgun Canver, cabinet member for the environment, said: “This is good news. I hope all landlords who do not license their HMOs and therefore avoid the maintenance and safety inspections necessary to ensure their tenants are safe and suitably housed, will take heed.”
Parlak has been told he can pay back the amounts owed in instalments, with the tribunal suggesting that he agree a timescale with the council.
.jpg)
.png)
Comments
Neil - Yes it is ha ha ha, the good old days indeed. Yes, what an unbelievable mess it all is and we are seen as villains by these spongers living off our taxes and vilifying us at every opportunity. Drug dealers get better treatment in the courts and the press. my email is on my web site Neil
This witch-hunt against private landlords continues unabated, whereas the vast numbers of 'rogue tenants' cheating and stealing, are rarely mentioned.
Agree with almost every word Jamie says. That case is outrageous, and the landlord should take further legal advice (including european courts) rather than meekly accepting this nonsense (probably illegal anyway, and probably rubber-stamped by the tame court within same council area - illegal in itself, as these cases should be heard by independent courts outside the council areas in question
Neil
p.s. is that jamie from ranjan's course ? Those were the good old days (or so we thought at the time). What an awful business we've got ourselves trapped in...
To Madseller - your calm and considered comments re an unlicensed HMO brings cheer to all landlords in the UK. To know we are not part of a draconian witch hunt, we aren't easy picking for the councils and housing associations to keep the focus off their rouge practices and plethora of unlicensed and below standard properties is a comfort to us all. To think we have calm measured and responsible individuals such as you out there to put us all straight is truly a wondrous thing. Why not confiscate all landlords properties for any infraction of the RULES laid down by useless overpaid and unmeasured politicians and council employees, content to transfer the attention away from their appalling practices from housing to children issues.
The tax payer is paying for exactly what? what sort of idiotic moron connects this draconian fine to prop up councils shocking financial mismanagement with tax payers money??
The tax payer is paying for idiots to profligate this hate via the internet where you are safe behind your wee key board. Go and do something useful with your life you sad aspect of nothingness.
Installments? Really?? He should have both properties confiscated and sold off to pay the debt immediately. As usual the tax payer will end up funding his "payment by installment" route.