Banstead restaurateur fined £5000 for unlicensed HMO
A Banstead restaurateur has been fined £5,000 for operating a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) without a licence.
Mr Steven Chiu, aged 51, leaseholder of The Lotus Room Chinese Restaurant in Banstead High Street, was prosecuted by Reigate & Banstead Borough Council under the Housing Act 2004 after he was found to be operating the HMO in the flat above the restaurant.
Mr Chiu of Chatsworth Road, Cheam, pleaded guilty to the offence at Redhill Magistrates' Court on Thursday 25 March 2010 and was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay £150 costs.
Inspections
Environmental Health Officers and officers from Surrey Fire and Rescue Service had visited the premises before in response to concerns that an HMO was in operation there without a licence.
On each occasion, the officers were told that the staff who had belongings in the flat lived elsewhere and only stayed overnight on an ad hoc basis when they worked late and could not get home.
The Council obtained a warrant of entry from the Magistrates' Court in order to carry out an unannounced inspection and found that this was not the case.
Ensuring decent standards
Cllr Mike Miller, Executive Member for Planning, Transport and Housing, said “The licensing of certain houses in multiple occupation is required by law to ensure that a minimum standard of basic amenities and of fire safety is provided in this kind of accommodation for the benefit and safety of tenants.
"Putting tenants' lives at risk by avoiding the requirements is simply not acceptable. We hope that this will act as a deterrent to others and as this case proves, we will not hesitate to take similar action to ensure decent standards for in the future.”
For more information about HMOs see the Houses in Multiple Occupation page.
Last updated : 09/04/2010
