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A tribunal recently heard that tenants living in a shared residence in south-east London were left without a functioning toilet for 58 days due to their landlord’s failure to carry out repairs. During this period, the five occupants resorted to using a bath to urinate or relying on the toilets of a nearby furniture superstore. In addition to the broken toilet, the tenants had to endure a malfunctioning ventilation system that generated excessive noise throughout the night and contributed to the growth of mould in the property.
The residents sought a rent repayment order, claiming their landlords did not possess the necessary licence to legally operate the Greenwich property. The tribunal awarded them £5,300 in compensation. The landlord admitted to being unlicensed, attributing the oversight to the co-landlord’s memory difficulties, which arose following a severe brain injury sustained in 2021.
The property in question—a four-bedroom maisonette on Woolwich Road—was classified as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO). This designation applies when at least three people share facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms, necessitating a special licence from the local council. The landlord informed the tribunal that a letter from Greenwich Council explaining licensing changes had been lost. The tribunal concluded that both landlords had a limited understanding of the licensing requirements, noting they “had no real understanding of the nature of mandatory licensing.” Although the tribunal took the landlord’s health condition into account, it emphasized that the landlords should have been aware of the licensing needs given their ownership and management of other HMO properties.
The tribunal also heard that one of the tenants admitted to damaging the lavatory bowl in October 2023. While the landlords acknowledged responsibility for fixing it, the repair was delayed for nearly two months. Regarding the ventilation issues, the landlords initially believed the faulty system served the entire building. Upon discovering this was incorrect, they engaged a specialist company to inspect and repair the system. The assessment revealed the ventilation was only functioning at 50% efficiency, with vent openings inside the flat severely impacted by mould. Taking into account the licensing failures, property disrepair, and other shortcomings, the tribunal determined the rent repayment to be 40% of the maximum allowed £13,229, resulting in the tenants receiving £5,300
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