Tenants Endure 'Inconvenient and Undignified' Living Conditions
Residents of a south London house in multiple occupation (HMO) have been awarded a £5,300 rent repayment after a property tribunal heard they were forced to urinate in a bathtub or use toilets at a nearby furniture superstore for nearly two months. The shocking conditions at 195 Woolwich Road in Greenwich came to light when the five occupants applied for a rent repayment order, alleging their landlords had failed to license the property as a legally required HMO.
Landlord's Defence and Tribunal's Ruling
A residential property tribunal found that the four-bedroom maisonette had not been properly licensed since the tenants moved in on 13 September 2023. While the maximum possible repayment was £13,229, the tribunal settled on £5,300 after considering all circumstances. The landlord accepted the licensing failure but submitted a defence citing a partner's 'long-term, severe brain injury' from 2021 and claimed to have lost a letter from Greenwich Council about HMO licensing updates.
The tribunal noted the landlords had a 'limited understanding of the licensing regime' but ruled they should have been aware of their obligations as they owned and managed other HMO properties. Some credit was given due to the health situation, but this did not excuse the fundamental failure.
Broken Toilet and Faulty Ventilation System
Two major disrepair issues significantly influenced the tribunal's decision. The first concerned a broken communal toilet. Although one resident admitted responsibility for damaging the toilet bowl in October 2023, the landlords assumed responsibility for repairs, which took 58 days to complete.
During this period, tenants had to use an en-suite bathroom in another bedroom. When this was unavailable, they 'had to use the lavatories in a nearby furniture superstore, or urinate in the bathtub' – a situation the tribunal described as profoundly 'inconvenient and undignified'. The property is located less than half a mile from an IKEA store, though IKEA stated it was 'not aware of any such situation' occurring.
The second issue involved an excessively noisy ventilation system that residents reported from their move-in date, causing sleep disruption and leading to mould growth within the property. A specialist inspection later found the system operating at only 50 per cent efficiency, with vent openings 'seriously affected by mould'. The tribunal concluded this system was not properly maintained for over a year.
Considering the unlicensed HMO and the significant disrepair issues, the tribunal calculated the rent repayment order at 40 per cent of the maximum possible amount, resulting in the £5,300 award to the tenants.
