Struck-off Solicitor Found Guilty Over Hmo Offences
A struck-off solicitor and a letting agent have been successfully prosecuted over a property where 12 people lived in slum conditions.
Camden Council took action against Aminat Adedoyin Afolabi, who represented the owner of the property, and Raphael Fagbolagun, of Baganton Property Services, who had been appointed to manage it.
The pair were found guilty of failing to obtain a licence for a House in Multiple Occupation, management offences and failing to supply documents previously requested by the court.
They managed a property for a Mr Alade, who lived in Nigeria. They claimed the property was empty, but when environmental health officers visited on various days in March 2011, they found a basement flat let to three tenants, and three upper floors converted into eight bedsits let to nine tenants.
The officers found a pool of sewage soaking the brickwork to the basement bedroom, the fire escape route blocked, the fire alarm silenced, fire doors missing or ineffective, plus electrical faults, missing banisters to the internal staircase and steps down to the rear garden dangerous and broken.
During investigations, it was found that Afolabi had been convicted of fraud and related offences, and had been investigated by the Law Society for various issues including trading as a legal practice called Ann Francis and Co, prior to qualifying as a solicitor. As a result she had been struck off by the Law Society. She was subsequently allowed to practise under strict controls before being struck off again in 2012.
The councils investigations showed that both defendants received rents and were held to be jointly responsible for managing the HMO without a licence.
After a two-day trial, Afolabi, a struck-off solicitor who had previously been convicted of fraud, was found guilty of all 12 offences and Fagbolagun of all 11 offences.
Both defendants, who had pleaded not guilty, claimed to be on low incomes, and the judge reduced the fines and costs to 1,415 for Fagbolagun and 765 for Afolabi.
Abdul Hai, Camden Councils cabinet member for community safety, said after the case: Slum landlords will not be tolerated in Camden. We will continue to use every power to ensure people dont fall prey to landlords who have no consideration for peoples safety and are instead more concerned with lining their own pockets.
Baganton Property Services, in Camberwell New Road, SE London, appears to handle sales, management and lettings in London and every part of the UK, according to its website, which also talks about its professionalism.
In a separate case involving another London HMO, the landlord was fined 5,500 after admitting 23 breaches. Jan Assakzai was also ordered by Thames Magistrates Court to pay 300 towards Newham Councils legal costs and a 15 victim surcharge.
Council inspectors discovered appalling conditions including a cooker covered with grease, refuse rotting in the garden and a grime-encrusted toilet.
The court heard that the property was only licensed for five people but that there were up to nine tenants, with an additional two or three living there on various occasions.
by: Angels Media
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