Rogue landlord found guilty over unsafe Hyde Park Gate HMO

Rasool and Blackstone Properties Management Limited were each convicted of all eight charges – managing an unlicensed HMO, failing to comply with an Improvement Notice and six breaches of HMO management regulations – following a retrial at City of London Magistrates’ Court on 29 June.

The case was retried after the defendant challenged the original proceedings from 2023. It relates to 36 Hyde Park Gate, which had been converted from four bedrooms into 22 rooms and was being used as an HMO.

Council officers first visited the property in August 2021. The City of London Magistrates’ Court heard that the premises was being operated without the required HMO licence and that tenants were living with “serious” fire and Health and Safety risks.

At sentencing on 30 June, Blackstone Properties Management Limited was fined £30,000 plus full prosecution costs of £12,176.68. Rasool was issued with a £20,000 fine.

Councillrr Johnny Thalassites, lead member for resident services, planning and enforcement, said: “Rasool and Blackstone Properties Management Limited were given opportunities to put things right, but the court found they chose not to. We will continue to take action where landlords fail to follow the rules. Everyone in Kensington and Chelsea deserves a safe place in which to live.”

Original investigation

The investigation into the property began following a complaint from a tenant back in 2020 and uncovered that the landlord was unlicensed to operate the 22-bedroom HMO.

Despite repeated warnings, the landlord did not apply for a licence and Kensington and Chelsea Council officers eventually visited alongside Metropolitan Police Service officers and inspectors from the London Fire Brigade.

Officers found defective and damaged fire doors, inadequate fire separation between bedrooms and lack of fire safety protection in the boiler room or lobby in addition to covered fire alarms and burned out and loose electrical sockets.

Tenants were cooking in their room using camping-style facilities without proper kitchen facilities. There was rising damp and mould growth throughout the property as well as single glazed windows with rotten frames, draughts and broken sashes.