Landlords hit with huge fine

A landlord has been fined £5500 after tenants were discovered living in appalling, overcrowded conditions.

Jan Assakzai 42, of Friars Road, East Ham, admitted at Thames Magistrates' Court a total of 23 counts of breaching houses in multiple occupation (HMO) management regulations for an end-of-terrace house on Romford Road, Manor Park.

The property was only licensed for five people. However, the court heard there were up to nine tenants with an additional two or three living there on various occasions.