The landlord of an HMO above a Chinese takeway in Cornwall has been fined for failing to comply with the requirements of his licence.

St Austell landlord Kwok Pui Yeung entered two guilty pleas to charges that he failed to comply with the requirements: he was fined £1,760 and ordered to pay £1,656 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £170, making a total of £3,586.

In April last year Yeung was granted a HMO licence for the staff accommodation he operated above the Fortune House Restaurant at St Austell, Cornwall. 

Conditions of his mandatory licence required adequate heating and fire precautions to be installed in the premises within a four month timeframe. In October environmental health officers again visited the premises and found that the required improvement works had not been undertaken.

“The council will make every effort to advise, educate and work with landlords but those who fail in their obligations can rest assured that the Private Sector Housing Team will intervene where a property fails to meet the minimum standards required. This case highlights that some landlords are not fulfilling their legal obligation to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their tenants” says a Cornwall Council spokesman.