An Islington landlord has been found guilty of housing offences following a case brought to court by Islington Council.<br><br>On 12 January 2007, Highbury Magistrates ordered Mr Paul Odubayo - one of the leaseholders of the property - to pay a £11,500 fine (reaching almost the maximum penalty for the offences) and over £4,489 costs. He was prosecuted for failure to comply with three notices served under the Housing Act 1985. <br><br>The offences related to bedsits at The Blarney Stone pub on Hornsey Road, N19. The landlord had not carried out essential repairs to the roof, common parts, and bathrooms. He also failed to provide sufficient cooking facilities for the tenants and staff, make improvements to the means of escape in case of fire, take fire precautions or to comply with the basic legal standards of management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO). <br><br>In another case on 19 December 2006, Mr Giovanni Antonioni the landlord of a small house in multiple occupation above a café in Rheidol Terrace, N1 pleaded guilty to three offences under the Housing Act 1985 of failing to do work required to bring a property up to standard. He was fined £800 plus costs of £1,157.<br><br>Cllr Terry Stacy, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Housing and Communities, commented, "Islington will not tolerate landlords letting unsafe properties at the risk of local tenants.<br><br>"The council's residential environmental health officers work hard to ensure that privately-rented properties throughout the borough meet the necessary legal requirements for safety. <br><br>"The significant fine given in the Hornsey Road case reflects the seriousness of the offence. Islington will seek to prosecute landlords where they ignore their legal requirements and repeated requests to make improvements."<br> <br><br>Notes for editors:<br>For further information about houses in multiple occupation licensing visit:<br><br>www.islington.gov.uk/Housing/PrivateHousing/hmolicensing.asp<br><br>Ends<br>
Page Last Updated: 17 December 2009