A landlord who made almost £27,000 a year by renting to 12 tenants an HMO that was licensed for five has been hit with a bill of over £35,000.

He will not be able to hold an HMO licence again.

Zuo Jun admitted 11 charges when he appeared before Watford Magistrates Court.

Watford council officials found the 12 living in the flat above a Chinese restaurant.

Some tenants were in bedrooms that were so small they were listed on the HMO licence as storerooms.

There was no communal living space, so the tenants lived in their bedrooms. The small shared kitchen was said to be filthy. The fire exit from the property was blocked.

Zuo Jun was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £5,326 costs to the council, court costs of £150 and a £120 victim surcharge.

The landlord said he was taking £515 a week in rent for the property, equating to £26,780 a year.

The council believed that the landlord would clear the property ahead of inspections to make it appear there were fewer people living there than there actually were. Afterwards, he would move them back again or bring in new tenants.

Cllr Dorothy Thornhill, Mayor of Watford, said: “To help tackle this issue I hope that magistrates will continue to make the penalties reflective of the money rogue landlords make out of abusing their position.

“As housing demand continues to increase, we’re going to see more of this across the UK – we need to act swiftly and decisively.”