A landlord who rented a London property in which tenants lives were routinely put at risk was told by a judge it was one of the ‘worst cases’ he had seen.

Stratford Magistrates’ Court heard how Devinder Jalaf, aged 53, rented out the home for three years until housing officers being alerted following a separate investigation by the Newham council.

The property on Thorngrove Road, Plaistow, was said to be continually under construction, with a tarpaulin roof, no ceiling in parts, bare and unearthed electrics and a bedroom erected in the fire escape gangway next to a cooker.

It also had no front windows on the first floor plus a toilet pipe leak which caused constant flooding. Plus there was no fire detection, the water supply and drainage waste flowed into an open drain, and the hallway was flooded when a shower room was in use.

Tenants are believed to have paid up to £340 per month to stay at the property.

Jalaf was fined a total of £5,000 after admitting 23 offences under the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Housing Act. A further charge was accepted in failing to act on a notice served to gather details on the landlord and property.

District Judge Haydn Gott said: “This is certainly one of the worst cases I have seen in breach of these regulations.”

Cllr Andrew Baikie, executive member for housing, process and business efficiency, said: “Greedy landlords cashing in on vulnerable people have no place in Newham.”

• LANDLORDS are now being licensed in an area of Newham in London designated a Neighbourhood Improvement Zone (NIZ).

Newham Council's new selective licensing designation initiative means that those renting out properties must ensure homes are decent for tenants and are well-managed to ensure that they do not cause problems for neighbours.

Licensing landlords forms part of the wider NIZ operating in the Little Ilford ward. The pilot NIZ is aimed at creating long-term benefits throughout the area in what is hoped to become a blueprint for other parts of the borough requiring accelerated improvement and enforcement programmes.

Licensing landlords in the area became a reality after Communities and Local Government Secretary John Denham passed a Selective Licensing designation last year.

Application forms are now being sent to landlords with the onus placed on them to sign-up. The license fee is £500 although this drops to £300 if landlords return completed forms inside 28 days. Revenue will go towards funding the NIZ.