Mark Hogg, one of the two directors of Quality Homes NW Limited, was charged with 10 breaches of HMO regulations at the Keighley Road property which were “potentially fatal”. He was fined £15,000 at Preston Magistrates' Court.
Cllr Mohammed Iqbal (main image), portfolio holder for housing and environmental health, said: “Pendle Council’s environmental health officer visited the property and found grossly unhygienic living conditions. It's completely unacceptable.'' 
Water leaking from the toilet into the kitchen
“Windows were broken and broken. There was moisture and water ingress, there was a leak from the shared toilet into the kitchen, and there was no sanitizing.”
It was also discovered that shared cooking utensils were broken, forcing residents to use portable appliances in their bedrooms, which posed a serious fire risk. There were also flammable materials in the hallway, the fire doors were in poor condition, and the fire alarm system had not been tested and was out of order.
Mr Hogg's company, Quality Homes NW Limited, was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay a surcharge of £2,000 and costs of £1,862. Hogg was also fined £2,155 and given a surcharge of £862.
This fine is an important reminder that disregarding safety standards will not be tolerated. ”
Asjad Mahmood, leader of Pendle Council, said: “Ensuring the safety of tenants is a fundamental responsibility of all landlords.The conditions at this property were very poor, but fortunately there were no fatalities.
“This fine is an important reminder that ignoring safety standards will not be tolerated. We urge all landlords to prioritize compliance with regulations.”
The Keighley Road house has since been sold and Quality Homes NW Limited has reduced the number of properties it manages from 42 to 16. Mr Hogg also said he intended to sell the remaining properties over the next 12 months.
Read more about recent HMO fines here.
Image courtesy of Pendle Borough Council
