A rogue company has been ordered to pay more than £16,000 after it was brought to court following an investigation by a council's Beds In Sheds team.
Shalini Largey, described as the principal director for McKane Holdings, has appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates' Court for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on behalf of the company at an earlier hearing to failing to comply with enforcement notices requesting her to cease the illegal use of an outbuilding in West Drayton, Middlesex, and to demolish it.
The court heard that a couple with a young baby had been placed in the illegal outbuilding by McKane Holdings, even after the council had served the enforcement notices and they had not been complied with.
The family were paying £650 a month in rent.
McKane Holdings was fined £14,666, ordered to pay the council's legal costs of £1,655 and a victim surcharge of £120.
The District Judge instructed the total sum of £16,441 to be paid within six weeks.
A spokesman for Hillingdon Council says the authorities will not tolerate landlords lining their pockets with ill-gotten gains like this company had been doing noting that in this circumstance it was a disgracde that a child had been involved.
The council is working with the family to find long-term accommodation.
.png)
Comments
Once again, shameful. These rogue companies do seem to be the exception rather than the rule - we have to be careful not to make sweeping generalisations about all landlords based on the illicit activities of a select few - but that doesn't mean they should be written off as one-offs, ones that have slipped through the net. Everything needs to be done to stamp out these people who think they can just do as they please, putting people in danger along the way, and still get away with it.