Palmview Estates and the company’s sole director Hersch Sternlicht have been fined for letting undersized rooms.

The landlord, based in Grays, has been ordered by Chelmsford magistrates to pay more than £18,000 after failing to provide adequate living conditions for his tenants.

The court was told that prohibition orders were made on the four undersized rooms by Thurrock Council in September 2017. But when officers reviewed the orders two years later, they discovered that two of the rooms had been let to new tenants.

Palmview Estates Limited was a handed a fine of £7,000, and told to pay a £190 victim surcharge, as well as costs of £3,551.

Sternlicht was also fined £4,000, ordered to pay a £190 victim surcharge and costs of £3,551.

Cllr Barry Johnson, Thurrock Council’s cabinet member for housing, said: “We will continue to target exploitative landlords to ensure that those living in shared accommodation have access to a good quality home and safe place to live in.

“Landlords and letting agents must ensure any properties they rent out are up to code and are licensed, where appropriate. Failure to do so is an offence which can result in prosecution or a fine of up to £30,000.”

Thurrock Council also issued a Civil Penalty Notice (CPN) to Sternlicht for the same property for breaches found under the HMO management regulations in 2019.

These included a water leak to the hallway ceiling from a defective boiler and inadequate fire safety measures.