Landlord fined after tenants forced from unsafe HMO over fire risk

Mark Mansfield

A landlord has been ordered to pay nearly £7,500 after tenants were forced to leave a house in multiple occupation because of serious fire and electrical safety risks.

Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard that Delwara Choudhury, of Clos Halket, Canton, pleaded guilty to 14 offences relating to a three-storey property on Cowbridge Road East in Canton.

The building comprised a ground-floor mini market with residential accommodation above, where 10 unrelated people were living across six bedrooms.

An inspection by Shared Regulatory Services uncovered a series of serious hazards, including exposed live electrical wiring, inadequate fire safety measures, damp and mould, unsafe stairs, poor lighting and ventilation, rodent infestation, and insanitary kitchen and bathroom facilities.

Officers found the property’s only escape route in the event of a fire led through several rooms and a kitchen, leaving all six bedrooms as inner rooms without an adequate means of escape. The building also lacked sufficient structural fire protection and fire doors, while the fire alarm system was unsuitable for the property and may not have been functioning.

Inspectors concluded the fire and electrical hazards posed an imminent risk of serious harm to residents.

An Emergency Prohibition Order was served on 7 July 2025, requiring all occupants to leave the property immediately and preventing it from being reoccupied until the necessary safety work had been completed.

The investigation also found the property should have been licensed as a House in Multiple Occupation under the Housing Act 2004 but no application had been made. Choudhury had also failed to register with Rent Smart Wales and had no licensed manager in place, resulting in further offences under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014.

An appeal against the Emergency Prohibition Order to the Residential Property Tribunal for Wales was dismissed on 13 July this year.

At a hearing on 27 July, the court fined Choudhury £700 for each of five offences relating to fire safety, HMO licensing and Rent Smart Wales registration, amounting to £3,500.

She was also ordered to pay £2,500 towards Cardiff Council’s legal costs and a £1,400 victim surcharge, bringing the total financial penalty to £7,400.

It is understood Choudhury has since terminated her lease and no longer has any involvement with the property.

‘Unacceptable risk’

Cardiff Council’s cabinet member for housing, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: “This case highlights the serious consequences of failing to manage a rental property safely and in accordance with the law, which is in place to protect residents.

“The conditions found at this property presented an unacceptable risk to the residents living in the property, particularly in relation to fire and electrical safety. The Emergency Prohibition Order was necessary to protect residents from the risk of serious harm.

“Landlords and property managers have a legal responsibility to ensure their properties meet the required standards and that the appropriate licences and registrations are in place.

“We will continue to take robust enforcement action where we find landlords putting tenants at risk or failing to comply with their legal obligations.”

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