A property company that failed to repair a pigeon-infested loft has been fined a total of £31,026, including an order to pay £7,638 compensation to the tenants.

A boyfriend and girlfriend couple complained to Brent council in May last year after their landlord, Adilsons Property Limited, failed to act on a complaint about pigeons roosting in the loft and a water leak in their ceiling.

An enforcement officer investigated the second-floor flat in Kilburn, and issued the property manager of Adilsons Property Limited, with an improvement notice. Although some repair works were carried out, the landlord failed to deal with pigeons whose cooing was disturbing the couple at 4am every morning.

Adilsons Property Limited, registered in Cricklewood, ignored the council’s follow-up notices, resulting in a court hearing in November last year at which the defendants pleaded not guilty.

But a trial at Willesden Magistrates Court has now found Adilsons Property Limited guilty of failing to comply with an improvement notice. 

The company was fined £12,200 and ordered to pay £5,648 in costs as well as a victim surcharge of £170. Its owner, Aamir Sultan, was also fined £6,100 and the two tenants were awarded £7,638 in compensation.

Spencer Randolph, the council’s head of private housing services, says: “Tenants in the private rented sector have a legal right to decent living conditions. We will prosecute landlords and letting agencies that fail to comply with improvement notices. This landlord had plenty of opportunities to carry out the repairs but ignored our requests.”