Rogue landlord fined thousands for unlicensed Stratford property
Olanrewaju Sharomi, 47, was fined thousands of pounds at Thames Magistrates' Court - Credit: Archant
A rogue landlord who failed to license one of her four properties was today fined thousands of pounds.
Olanrewaju Sharomi, 47, was ordered to pay more than £16,000 at Thames Magistrates’ Court as prosecution lawyer for Newham Council Joanna Staples continued a crackdown on “unscrupulous” behaviour.
The mum-of-four was found guilty after trial of managing unlicensed residential accommodation which was required to be licensed, as well as knowingly supplying false or misleading information to a housing authority, in December.
The court heard today how Sharomi, who now lives in Plumstead, had been renting out her property in Gibbins Road, Stratford, without the right license since 2013. Two of children had been living with her and one further tenant in a two-bedroom property.
Ms Staples said the tenant “must have been living in the living room”, adding: “The point [of the licensing scheme] is that landlords are not benefitting financially from unscrupulous behaviour.
“We live in an age whereby people unscrupulously rent out property to vulnerable people. They take money from people living in inadequate and often unsafe situations – this is why these license provisions are very important.”
In closing, chairman of the bench Aneeta Prem said: “We have taken into account the circumstances of this offence and the fact that it had to go to trial.”
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She sentenced Sharomi to £10,000 for the first offence and £3,000 for the second. Sharomi was also ordered to pay court costs of £3,491 and a victim surcharge of £120.
