Bognor landlord fined over housing law

Peter Gurr owner of 62 Linden Road, Bognor, was fined by Arun District Council for refusing to register his property as a house of multiple occupation (HMO).

Housing law requires landlords to licence properties with three or more floors and five unrelated tenants as an HMO, as they can pose increased risks on issues such as fire safety.

Mr Gurr was prosecuted by the council after allowing the second floor of his property to be occupied, even though he had signed a written undertaking he would not breach the laws.

The 62-year-old of Angerstein Road in Portsmouth was fined 4,000 and ordered to pay 3,100 in costs at Chichester Magistrates Court on September 18 after ignoring warnings from the council to properly license the house.

He had pleaded not guilty to the charge at an earlier hearing at Chichester Magistrates Court, but subsequently changed his plea to guilty. The landlord also ignored a series of warning letters sent to both the house and his address in Portsmouth, each one containing the application form he needed to fill out and submit to register the house as an HMO.

The council's cabinet member for housing and community care, councillor Robin Brown, who has responsibility for private sector housing, said: "Arun has many good landlords who abide by the law and with whom we work closely.

"Our message is clear and it is that we will not tolerate bad ones.

"We have a responsibility to protect tenants and ensure that the properties where they live meet basic public health and safety standards.

"Arun is a responsible enforcement authority and we will actively pursue all bad landlords who do not comply with the new housing legislation."

Mr Gurr is the second landlord to be prosecuted in Arun using the licensing powers encompassed in the Housing Act 2004. The council was the first local authority in the country to secure a conviction using the new legislation in 2006.

Anyone renting a property that is three storeys high or more and is occupied by five people who share facilities should contact the council on 01903 737755 for further advice.