An Oxford landlord was convicted of multiple housing offences when her case was heard before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 13 December 2016.
Maria Rosa De Simone Ramjohn, 73, of Marston Street, Oxford, was prosecuted after Environmental Health Officers from Oxford City Council investigated a house she had rented out as a house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Marston Street that was found to be unlicensed. There were also fourteen breaches of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006.
She had breached fire safety regulations and failed to ensure that common parts in the property were in good and clean decorative repair. The common parts were also not in safe and working condition, and windows had not been kept in good repair. In addition, the garden was overgrown, cluttered with rubbish and posed a safety risk to tenants.
This is the third time the City Council has prosecuted Mrs Ramjohn for HMO offences. She did not appear in court in person but submitted a written plea of guilty to all six charges. After hearing the facts and a note of her previous convictions the court fined her £1,500 for each of the six charges and also awarded the City Council £1,425 in costs.
Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Board member for Planning and Regulatory Services, said: “This case, which involves a repeat offender, illustrates why we believe the court should impose stiff penalties on landlords who wilfully ignore the law, and I am pleased that they have done so in this instance. Unlicensed and poorly managed properties often pose significant health risks to tenants, and we will continue to investigate and prosecute landlords who rent them out.”
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