Rogue landlord of 'death trap' Harrow home fined £3.5k

Harrow Council said the “dangerous” two-bed house in Headstone Drive was in a state of “severe disrepair” when inspectors visited.

Landlord Paul Ettienne lived with five tenants inside the house, which had already been banned by the council as a house of multiple occupancy.

When council officers inspected the home, they discovered an emergency prohibition order had been breached.

Numerous problems and concerns were found including poor electrics, overloaded extension leads, and a large window secured with tent.

The safety of electrics in the house were criticised. Credit: Harrow Council

The council says one plug in the loft was serving a network of daisy chained extension leads powering electric fires, TVs, music system, and lamps to the eves in the loft sectioned off as small bedrooms.

In order to get to the rooms, tenants would have had to use an illegally installed staircase with no fire protection to the loft. The loft itself was not safe for habitation. 

Inside the house. Credit: Harrow Council

The council says Ettienne made no attempt to comply with the order to make the property safe to live in and said he blamed the pandemic and loss of income.

At Willesden Magistrates Court on June 16, he was ordered to pay £3,660.

Ettienne had previously been prosecuted in 2019 for breaching the emergency prohibition order.

Inside the house. Credit: Harrow Council

Cllr Anjana Patel, cabinet member for environment and community safety, said:  

“Not only did Etienne ignore the conditions of the protection order, but he thought he was above the law and could get away with housing tenants in his death trap property. Thanks to the work of our officers the law caught up with him and he has a price to pay.  

“Everyone has a right to safe place they can call home but unfortunately there are a minority who put greed before the safety of their tenants. That is unacceptable and that’s why we are putting residents first and coming after those operating illegally.”