A HMO landlord will stand trial over claims he broke housing regulations.
John Avery, 50, of Stafford Street, faces five counts of failing to comply with Housing Act regulations, four counts of breaching his HMO licence and another allegation that he allowed too many people to live in the shared house.
Swindon Borough Council, which has brought the case, claimed the entrance hall to Avery’s Stafford Street HMO was clogged with paper and post, fire escapes were not clear and fire doors had not been looked after. Emergency lighting was not maintained, a heat detector did not work and bikes were being stored in a ground floor bathroom, the borough has claimed.
Houses under multiple occupation must be licensed by the borough council. By failing to ensure fire exits were clear, the council says Avery breached the terms of his HMO licence.
Avery denies the charges. At a hearing this week magistrates adjourned the case to Monday, December 17, for the trial.
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