A landlord in Harrow has been ordered to pay £9,000 after failing to provide basic fire and electrical safety documentation for a four-bedroom property that had been converted into multiple units and found to be unsafe for occupation.
Officers from London Borough of Harrow visited the address after residents raised concerns about rubbish building up outside. What they discovered inside was far more serious.
“Dangerous living conditions”
During the inspection, council officers found a range of hazards, including:
- No working smoke alarms
- A broken boiler
- A strong smell of gas, raising concerns about a possible leak
The property was believed to be an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), and officers described the conditions as dangerous.
Given the level of risk, the council issued an Emergency Prohibition Order, preventing anyone from living at the address until urgent repairs were completed.
Missing safety certificates
Following the visit, the landlord was formally asked on several occasions to provide fire safety and electrical safety certificates for the property. According to the council, those requests were ignored.
Without these documents, the council said it was impossible to confirm whether the property met even the most basic legal safety standards – particularly important in HMOs, where multiple occupants may be sleeping, cooking and escaping through shared areas.
Case taken to court
After repeated failures to comply, Harrow Council took the case to Willesden Magistrates’ Court.
At a hearing on 11 December 2025, Mr Trivedi was found guilty of:
- Failing to provide a fire safety certificate
- Failing to provide an electrical safety certificate
The court imposed:
- A £5,000 fine
- A £2,000 victim surcharge
- £2,000 in contribution costs
The total financial penalty came to £9,000.
Council warning to landlords
Commenting on the prosecution, Councillor Pritesh Patel, Harrow Council’s Cabinet Member for Cleaner Streets and Public Safety, said the case sent a clear message.
“Our officers work tirelessly to protect tenants and ensure landlords understand their responsibilities,” he said.
“When notices are issued, they must be taken seriously.
“This case shows the consequences of ignoring warnings and allowing a property to fall into a dangerous state. No one is above the law.”
Why fire safety failures in HMOs matter
HMOs are consistently identified as higher-risk residential properties when it comes to fire.
Multiple occupants, unfamiliar escape routes, shared kitchens and higher electrical loads all increase the likelihood — and potential severity — of a fire.
Fire safety certificates, smoke alarms and electrical inspections are not optional paperwork. They are legal safeguards designed to prevent serious injury or loss of life.
In this case, the absence of smoke alarms alone could have had fatal consequences if a fire had broken out overnight.
Enforcement is increasing
Local authorities across London and the UK have made clear they will continue to prosecute landlords who fail to meet minimum safety standards, particularly where there is evidence that tenants have been put at risk.
For landlords, the message is straightforward: keeping up to date with fire risk assessments, safety certificates and licensing requirements is not just about compliance — it’s about protecting lives.
As this case shows, failing to do so can carry serious legal and financial consequences.
