Acting on information provided by Thames Valley Police, Slough council housing regulation officers executed a warrant at a suspected unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO) in January 2021. Weeks before, the owner of the property had told the council that the property was not rented out and was owner occupied.

8 council officers attended at the property to execute the warrant and found that it had been converted into a 7 bedroom property and was being operated, without a licence, as an HMO. Further, due to the poor property conditions found during the inspection, the council refused to grant the landlord an HMO licence and, because of having no confidence in the landlord's management capabilities, the council also said that the landlord should find a managing agent to manage the property on her behalf.

Inside the property there were external padlocks on the bedroom doors, poor bathroom and kitchen facilities, rat droppings around kitchen cupboards, cracked floor tiling, missing fire doors, no adequate fire safety measures in place and damp and mould in the communal areas.

Outside the property, the rear garden was "cluttered with old and rotten furniture" which restricted fire exit routes. On top of all this, the landlord collected the rent in cash but did not provide any tenancy agreements to the tenants and could not produce any gas safety or electrical certificates for the property.

On the 30th September, 2022; at Reading Magistrates court the landlord pleaded guilty to 6 offences under the 2004 housing act and the management of HMOs regulations 2006 and was fined £14,500 as well as being ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge and £2,950 council costs.

Cllr. Pavitar K Mann, Slough council's lead member for Housing and Planning, said "This blatant disregard for tenants' safety and the law is unacceptable. The prosecution is a positive result for the council and goes to show the need for landlord licences to ensure landlords are regulated in providing quality homes so tenants can live in safe conditions."