Haringey tenant wins £8,000 rent repayment over unlicensed HMO

A tenant in Muswell Hill has been awarded nearly £8,000 in rent repayments after a tribunal ruled her landlord was operating an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO). The First-tier Tribunal ordered the landlord to repay £7,884.84 in rent, in addition to covering £341 in application and hearing fees.

The case followed an investigation by Haringey Council’s enforcement team into a property on Leaside Avenue. The tenant, who resided there between May 2023 and May 2024, reported severe living conditions including extensive mould in communal areas, a collapsed ceiling, exposed pipework, and blocked kitchen facilities. Furthermore, the property lacked essential fire safety measures such as smoke alarms and fire doors.

The tribunal determined that because the flat was occupied by three people from separate households, it met the legal definition of an HMO and required a licence. The ruling noted that the landlord had a history of non-compliance, having previously been subject to a separate Rent Repayment Order for another property. Haringey Council stated the case serves as a warning to rogue landlords that illegal practices will be met with enforcement action.