A private landlord who was fined after failing to obtain House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licences from Birmingham City Council also turned down the opportunity to apply for the right documentation when offered the chance after the court case.

George Lindsay, aged 45 of Minstead Road, Erdington, pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 18 February 2010 for failing to apply for HMO licences for two of his properties in Erdington and was fined £2,500 plus court costs of £675.

Following a domestic fire at one of Lindsay’s properties in June 2009 the fire service prohibited the use of the second floor of his property, which had been let to tenants.

Lindsay has never applied for a HMO licence for that property or his second property, despite several attempts by Birmingham City Council to contact the landlord on a number of occasions since the fire.

When Lindsay continued to evade the council, Birmingham City Council began legal proceedings against him.

Following the court ruling, Lindsay agreed to comply with the legislation and will no longer let any of his properties to more than four tenants at any one time. He turned down the opportunity to apply for a licence which would have allowed him to let the property to five or more tenants.

Cllr John Lines, Cabinet Member for Housing said: “I take a very dim view of landlords who fail to take matters such as fire safety seriously and am delighted by the court’s ruling.

“The council has now licensed over 1,300 properties and I recognise there are many good landlords Birmingham but there is no room for landlords who fail to comply with the law and put their tenants’ lives at risk.”

Birmingham City Council’s HMO licensing team has carried out proactive inspections on over 200 licensed HMOs over the course of the last year to ensure compliance.

The council is now considering making an application for a Rent Repayment Order against Mr Lindsay.