News | Thurrock Council

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).

Landlord fined over appalling conditions of shared house

13 August 2019

A South Ockendon landlord has been ordered to pay more than £7,000 after failing to provide adequate living conditions for his tenants.
Alex Oladineji Olayinka was found guilty of violating 6 regulations designed to protect tenants living in a house in multiple occupation (HMO) and failing to undertake remedial works to a property in Foxglove Road, South Ockendon at a trial at Southend Magistrates’ Court last Wednesday (7 August).

Landlord and managing agents fined over terrible condition of shared house in Grays

19 June 2019

Rogue landlords and their managing agent have been fined a total of almost £5,000 after forcing their tenants to live in unacceptable conditions in a shared house in Grays.
Devinder Singh Rai and Sohan Singh Rai, both of Upney Lane, Barking, were found guilty of failing to return information about a house in multiple occupation (HMO) and failing to maintain the property in good repair when they appeared at Colchester Magistrates Court last Thursday (13 June).

Landlords reminded of imminent new licensing scheme

16 May 2019

Landlords in Thurrock are being reminded to apply for a licence ahead of the launch of a new scheme to improve the conditions and management of shared homes.
Thurrock Council's additional licensing scheme starts on 1 June and will require private landlords and managing agents renting shared houses or flats to 3 or 4 unrelated people – houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) – to be licensed in certain parts of Thurrock.

Plans to introduce additional licensing of shared houses and flats approved

18 January 2019

Tenants renting rooms from private landlords in certain parts of Thurrock will soon be protected from poor living conditions and unsatisfactory management standards under a new scheme.
Thurrock Council’s Cabinet this week (Wednesday 16 January) approved plans to introduce additional licensing to specific parts of the borough where there are higher numbers of private landlords renting small shared houses and flats to 3 or 4 tenants from more than one household, known as houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).

Letting agents forced to pay combined £26,000 after licensing breach

10 December 2018

Two letting agents have been fined thousands of pounds after putting their tenants at "completely unnecessary risk" by overcrowding and failing to licence 6 shared houses.
The houses in Martello Close, Grays were bought by Mews Investments Limited in April 2017 and let to MEO Lettings and Management Limited, which then individually let the rooms.