A rogue Redbridge landlord has been ordered to pay the courts £5,770 after he pleaded guilty to putting tenants’ lives at risk by letting them live in an unlicensed, overcrowded and unsafe property.

Council enforcement officers were tipped off about a house in the borough and discovered that Paul Moss, from Dunwich Court, Glandford Way, Chadwell Heath, was operating the property as a house in multiple occupation (HMOs) without a licence.

The property was also found to pose a major health and safety risk after having virtually no fire safety measures in place to protect tenants including smoke alarms or fire blankets in the kitchen.

Moss also failed to provide the tenants with enough bins to dispose of their rubbish properly.

Following his appearance at Barkingside Magistrates' Court on Friday, October 11, Moss pleaded guilty to all charges relating to operating an unlicensed, unsafe and illegal HMO.

He was hit with fines of £3,860 and ordered to pay costs of £1,790.

A victim surcharge of £120 was also imposed.

The borough's cabinet member for housing and homelessness, Cllr Farah Hussain, said: "It's completely unacceptable that people should be living in unsafe and illegal conditions just so that landlords like the one in this case can line their pocket.

"I am pleased to see the rising number of prosecutions against rogue operators as we continue with our zero-tolerance approach to landlords of this type.

"Our message is clear, we will continue to crack down on all suspected HMOs and unlicensed properties to root out illegal operators in the borough."

Licensing is mandatory for all HMOs in Redbridge, as well as the 79 per cent of the borough's private rental sector covered by the council's selective licensing scheme. T

hose who do not comply face being prosecuted or fined.

Property owners or agents can apply for a licence on the council website.

The council has signed up to the Mayor of London's Rogue Landlords and Letting Agents Checker, a free online tool which allows Londoners to check if a landlord or letting agent has been convicted of any housing offences.

Access the checker at www.london.gov.uk/rogue-landlord-checker.