Southampton Landlord Slapped with £10,300 Fine for Dodgy HMO
Stephen John Roberts faced the music at Southampton Magistrates Court on Friday, March 5, 2016. The landlord of 20A Bath Street, a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), pleaded guilty to multiple charges linked to safety and licensing failures.
Fines Hit £10,300 for Safety Failures
- £4,000 fine for not licensing the property
- £2,000 fine for failing to produce a valid electrical safety certificate
- £3,300 fine for not maintaining smoke alarms
- £600 in court costs
- £400 victim surcharge
In total, Roberts was hit with a whopping £10,300 penalty. The council dropped two other charges against him. Notably, Roberts has a previous conviction for failing to licence the property, showing a clear pattern of neglect.
Council Cracks Down on Rogue Landlords
Cllr Warwick Payne, Cabinet Member for Housing & Sustainability at Southampton Council, made it clear the crackdown is far from over:
“The council will continue to deal robustly with landlords who fail to apply for a licence and those who let unsafe homes. At the same time, we want to work with responsible landlords by helping them comply with the rules, as they provide a valuable service for the city.”
This case sends a stark warning to other landlords: play by the rules or pay the price.
