The two landlords - one, the director of a local property letting and management company and the other a property manager have been ordered to pay over £9000 in fines, costs and victim surcharges after they failed to comply with a Request for Information Notice under the 2004 Housing Act.

South Tyneside council had requested that the landlords provide documentation in the course of an investigation into the operation of an illegal HMO in the area. Nicole Cameron, the director of the property management company, was ordered to pay a fine of £1000, costs of £1000 and a victim surcharge of £100. Meanwhile the property manager, Shamsudin Mohammad was required to pay a fine of £2000, costs of £4,918 plus a victim surcharge of £200.

Cllr. Jim Foreman, lead member for housing and community safety at the council, said "these hefty fines should send a very stark message about the potential consequences" of flouting the laws designed to protect tenants.