Environmental Health officers from Coventry's Property Licensing and Housing Enforcement team investigating a tenant complaint that occupants of a property had been left without gas or electricity discovered that the property was in fact an unlicensed HMO.

During the officers' property inspection they also uncovered "multiple breaches of the HMO Management Regulations."

The council says that the landlord was given several months to get the property licensed but he failed to do so and that "Where there is no reasonable prospect of an HMO being licensed in the near future, the council has a duty to take over the management of the HMO by making an Interim Management Order."

Coventry's Housing and homelessness team now manages the property with the tenants paying their rent to the council and the landlord still responsible for making any mortgage payments to his finance provider as well as having to pay fines totalling £60,000. The council uses the rent to ensure the health and well being of the tenants and improve the day to day management of the HMO.

Adrian Chowns, the council's Property Licensing and Housing Enforcement manager said officers had "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 ..."

Cllr. David Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said "this Interim Management 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."