05/10/2026
🏠 Managing an HMO? Check the property—not just the paperwork.
Licences and certificates are important, but they do not always show what is happening inside the property today.
A recent Brent Council prosecution involved a severely overcrowded Wembley HMO containing more than 20 people—including three children and a 10-month-old baby. This was more than twice the number permitted by the property’s licence.
Council officers also identified:
❌ Fire-safety breaches
❌ Problems with alarms and fire-safety equipment
❌ Unsafe or inadequate escape routes
❌ Broken cooking facilities
❌ Missing and damaged doors
❌ Bathroom disrepair
❌ A cockroach infestation
The property manager and another person involved in managing the property received fines totalling £90,000. Once victim surcharges and prosecution costs were added, the combined financial consequences exceeded £100,000. One of those convicted also became eligible for a banning order because of previous housing offences.
The case is an important reminder that HMO management requires regular checks of:
✅ Actual occupancy against the licensed limit
✅ Fire and heat alarms
✅ Fire doors and self-closing devices
✅ Clear escape routes
✅ Emergency lighting, where required
✅ Electrical warning signs
✅ Kitchen and bathroom conditions
✅ Damp, mould and outstanding repairs
Landlords should also remember that appointing an agent or property manager does not remove the need to make sure responsibilities are clearly allocated and properly carried out.
Orisha Building Services can inspect visible maintenance concerns, photograph the findings and provide a prioritised repair plan. This supports your maintenance programme but does not replace specialist licensing advice or a formal fire-risk assessment.
📩 Message Orisha Building Services to discuss an HMO inspection or remedial work in London.
https://www.brent.gov.uk/news-in-brent/2026/september/rogue-landlord-duo-hit-with-fine
An agent acting on behalf of an owner who squeezed more than 20 people, including three children and a 10-month old baby into a severely overcrowded Wembley property has been brought to justice.
