Multi-agency operation hits suspected rogue landlords in Grimsby

Housing officers carried out visits to a number of suspected illegal Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) on Wednesday evening.

North East Lincolnshire Council and EQUANS officers, accompanied by officers and PCSOs from Humberside Police, Humberside Fire and Rescue, and the Home Office visited two properties in Grimsby and carried out safety inspections, as well as interviewing the tenants.

Council and EQUANS officers will now assess their findings and decide what further action can or should be taken.

Councillor Philip Jackson, North East Lincolnshire Council Leader with Portfolio Holder responsibility for housing, said: “There are a number of properties in our borough that are registered as Houses of Multiple Occupation. However, we are aware that there are many others which aren’t registered and do not abide by the law, which is in place to protect the occupants.

“Rogue landlords have been known to fill their properties with as many tenants as they can, without ensuring that their property meets the required safety standards. We are also aware that, particularly in these financially troublesome times, tenants may feel the need to sublet, which is contrary to most tenancy agreements and is illegal.

“These visits follow many months of hard work by council and EQUANS officers to discern whether the people living in a property are who they claim to be, how many individuals are occupying the property at any one time, and whether the house meets the required standards.”

A property housing more than two unrelated people is classed as a HMO. HMOs must meet the legal safety requirements of a property housing multiple people, including interlinked fire alarm systems, thumb-turn locks, and the correct waste disposal facilities.

If you own or rent a HMO and are unsure whether it meets the required standards, contact the Home Improvement Team on [email protected] or call (01472) 32 4727.