News

Council advocates for resident safety in novel High Court ruling

17 May 2021
Thurrock Council has been successfully granted with an interim injunction by the High Court to prevent residents living in an unsafe House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), in what is believed to be a UK first.
On Friday 7 May, the High Court granted the interim injunction against 2 residents who had continued living in a HMO in Grays. They had continued living there despite a number of dangerous Category One and Category Two hazards being identified at the property, including risk of fire and inadequate means of escape.

Tough action against rogue landlords continues

9 November 2020
A Grays landlord has been ordered to pay more than £18,000 after failing to provide adequate living conditions for his tenants.
Chelmsford magistrates fined Palmview Estates and the company's sole director Hersch Sternlicht for letting undersized rooms following a hearing last Thursday (5 November).
The court heard that Prohibition Orders were made on the four undersized rooms by Thurrock Council in September 2017. Officers reviewed the Orders in 2019 and found that two of the rooms had been let to new tenants.

Improved conditions for house in multiple occupation in Grays

30 October 2020
Living conditions for tenants in a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Grays have been substantially improved through work undertaken by Thurrock Council.
Recent works to the property in William Street have ensured a safe environment is now provided for the residents, including new windows, fire doors and fire detection system.
The council first identified 6 Category One hazards and 5 Category Two hazards at the property in August 2019, giving the landlord 21 days to put the dangers right. Hazards included:

Thurrock awarded £27,000 to crack down on rogue landlords

3 January 2020
Thurrock Council has been awarded a share of over £4million to crack down on criminal landlords and letting agents.
The £27,000 government funding will be used to develop a multi-agency approach in targeting landlords operating unregistered care homes that provide residential accommodation to young adults from outside of Thurrock.
The council will work with Essex Police and the Youth Offending Service to take enforcement action against rogue landlords and make sure other councils improve their accountability towards young adults in their care.

Days of action tackle rogue landlords in Corringham and Purfleet

17 December 2019
Thurrock Council is warning private landlords renting shared houses or flats in the borough to ensure their properties are licensed correctly.
The council’s Private Housing team held a day of action on Wednesday 20 November in Corringham, and another a week later on Tuesday 3 December in Purfleet, to crack down on private landlords renting unlicensed shared houses or flats to three or four unrelated people – known as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

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