A Coventry landlord was fined £60,000 by the council for letting an unlicensed home. The council paid a visit to the property in Monks Road, Stoke, after receiving several complaints from its residents who said they were left with ‘no gas or electricity’.

Environmental Health Officers from Coventry City Council inspected the House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and found it was unlicensed and ‘poorly managed’. Officers also found there was no reasonable prospect of the property being licensed in the near future.

The council took over management of the property and made an Interim Management Order to divert the occupants’ rent away from the landlord and to the council. The landlord is still responsible for any mortgage payments, the council said.

David Welsh, the council’s housing and communities boss, said: “The making of this Order sends a clear message to landlords – if you do not licence your property the Council can and will use its powers to take over the running of your HMO.

“The level of the financial penalty notice highlights the severe punishments that can be levied to those who flout the law. These fines are then ring-fenced for use by the team to further their enforcement work.”

Adrian Chowns, Property, Licensing and Housing enforcement manager, said: “Our Officers have worked tirelessly in the city to promote the HMO licensing scheme and to ensure that where landlords abandon their duties and responsibilities, the team is ready to step in to protect tenants and use the full range of enforcement powers at their disposal.”