A lettings agent and four landlords have been slapped with court bills totalling £20,000 for abusing houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) license practices.

The prosecutions come after Islington Council extended its HMO licensing requirements in September last year to cover all those along Holloway Road and Caledonian Road.

Previously only people or companies controlling or managing HMOs of three or more storeys, with five or more tenants, needed a licence.

But with so many Islington tenants renting privately, the town hall introduced the extended measures to prevent poor management and improve living standards.

The first landlord prosecuted under the new scheme was Nessfield Ltd, of Holloway Road, which was hit with a total bill of £3,196 for operating an unlicensed HMO in the same road.

Another owner prosecuted, Relocate You, of Royal College Street, Camden, was found to have leased a property in Sussex Way, that didn’t have a fire alarm installed, to 8 unrelated people.

Relocate You was ordered by the court to pay £6,190 in fines and costs incurred by the council.

Juzar Jeevanjee, a landlord of Liverpool Road, admitted operating an unlicensed HMO in Gillespie Road and was ordered to pay £4,648.

Tony Alan Estates Ltd of Plender Street, Camden, admitted operating an unlicensed HMO in Tabley Road without a licence and was ordered to pay £7,458.75.

Nicholas Simpson and Suzanne Simpson of Springfield Road, Wincanton, Somerset and Marlborough Road, admitted operating an unlicensed HMO in Marlborough Road. They were each fined £700 and their company Amicable Inns Ltd of Connaught Avenue, Frinton-on-Sea was ordered to pay council costs of £1,500.

Commenting after the hearings, which were all at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court, Jan Hart, Islington’s director of public protection, said: “More and more Islington residents rent in the private sector, and we want to make sure they have decent homes.

“Most landlords make sure they follow the law and licensing rules, but we will take action where landlords fail to do this.”

Anyone with questions regarding HMO licensing can contact the team on 020 7527 3205 or visit islington.gov.uk/hmos.