A Luton landlord has been found guilty of serious breaches of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) legislation.

Mr Mohammad Mallick of Ivy Road, Luton was charged along with his company, Zenith Accommodation Ltd.

Mallick had exposed his tenants to potential harm due to the absence of the correct fire doors, fire detection equipment and other standards designed to protect them. 

Cllr Tom Shaw, portfolio holder for housing, said: “I am delighted at the severity of these sentences. Too many landlords see their property as cash cows and care little for the welfare and safety of those who live in them.

“Every tenant in Luton has the right to be treated as a human being and not as an object to take advantage of by unscrupulous individuals. As a council we are 100 per cent committed to stamping out illegal activity in our housing market and will always prosecute any individual where they are disobeying the law designed to protect those in that market.

“This verdict sends out the strongest possible message to landlords. ‘Don’t even think about it. If we catch you, there will be serious consequences.’”

Zenith Accommodation Ltd was fined a total of £66,741 which included £20,000 for each separate offence under the legislation plus additional surcharge and court costs.

Mallick was fined a total of £14,661 which also included costs.

He has also been found guilty of perverting the course of justice at St Albans Crown Court. Here, the jury reached a unanimous guilty verdict and Mallick was sentenced to a community order for 18 months and ordered to undertake 150 hours of unpaid work. In addition he was ordered to pay £4,000 costs.