Landlord fined for dangerous and unlawful HMO

A north London landlord has been ordered to pay £9,000 after his property, a unlicensed HMO (House in Multiple Occupation), was found to be "riddled with fire hazards".

The four-bedroom home in Edgware had been converted into multiple units, and neighbours complained rubbish was repeatedly dumped outside, leading to an inspection by council officers.

Officers found "dangerous living conditions", including a broken boiler and the absence of smoke alarms, at the property, which is under Harrow Council's jurisdiction.

The landlord, Kamil Trivedi, was fined following a hearing at Willesden Magistrates' Court in December 2025.

A strong smell of gas was also detected, prompting Harrow Council to send an emergency engineer to the property, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The landlord was then issued with an Emergency Prohibition Order, preventing anyone from living there until the work was carried out and the property brought up to an acceptable standard.

Harrow Council said the landlord ignored multiple requests to provide the required fire and electrical safety certificates.

Trivedi also did not have an HMO licence, which is a legal requirement across the borough for renting out a property of that kind.

The licence costs between £1,285.90 and £1,818.00 a year, depending on whether the application is new or a renewal.

Trivedi was found guilty of two offences: failing to provide a fire safety certificate and failing to provide an electrical safety certificate.

He was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000, as well as a costs contribution of £2,000.

Pritesh Patel from Harrow Council said: "Our officers work tirelessly to protect tenants and ensure landlords know their responsibilities.

"When they issue notices, they must be taken seriously. This case shows the consequences of ignoring warnings and allowing a property to fall into a dangerous state."

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