Banning Order and call for people to watch out for rogue landlord

A council has secured a banning order against a landlord, taking effect almost immediately.

The order is against Grzegorz Surminski, a landlord known to sub-let property in Leamington Spa.

The banning order, which will take effect from 1Tuesday December 19, bans Surminski from letting property or engaging in letting agency or property management work across the country for a period of three years. 

The First Tier Tribunal Property Chamber heard that council officers had inspected the property in Leamington Spa in 2022 and found it had been sub-let by Surminski as an HMO in eight bedsits. 

The property was found to be totally deficient in fire precautions, was overcrowded and in serious disrepair. The HMO required an HMO licence, but no such application had been made.

Surminski was prosecuted at Coventry Magistrates Court in September 2022 for failing to licence the HMO, failing to comply with an Improvement Notice, breaches of the HMO Management Regulations and failure to comply with a Requisition for Information notice. He was fined £31,000.

The Tribunal heard that the council had been concerned for some time about the poor letting practices of Surminski, who had also been operating as Leamington Rooms Limited. Officers had also investigated cases of illegal eviction, but the tenants often felt intimidated and were not prepared to give evidence in court.

A spokesperson for the council says: “I am delighted that Warwick District Council has managed to secure its first banning order. This clearly sends a strong message to private landlords and others engaged in letting property that the Council will not tolerate those who ignore their legal responsibilities and show a blatant disregard for the health, safety, and welfare of their tenants.”

The council is asking anyone who becomes aware of Surminski letting property anywhere in England to contact it confidentially by email privatesectorhousing@warwickdc.gov.uk or telephone 01926 456359.

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