An agent has been expelled from the franchising system, after two separate cases over rental properties.

Century 21 said it had “zero tolerance” of misbehaviour and has immediately terminated the franchise of Cameron Adams, in east London.

The agent, who is also a landlord, has been ordered to pay over £40,000 in two separate cases publicised by the local council that took action.

In the first case, Hasan Younis, director of Cameron Adams trading as Century 21 Cameron Adams, owned a property where the tenants ran an illegal gambling den.

Officers at Waltham Forest investigated after complaints of anti-social behaviour at the property in east London.

They found over 75,000 cigarettes, 800 packs of playing cards and a large amount of alcohol.

The officers found that the landlord of the property was aware of the anti-social behavior but had taken no action to address it.

Following his failure to act, the council obtained a premises closure order last June and the tenants left soon after.

Younis lodged an appeal after receiving a fine for breaching the conditions of his property licence.

His appeal was initially successful but the decision of the First Tier Tribunal was reversed at the Upper Tribunal and he agreed to pay a fine of £16,000 in respect of his failure to properly manage the property.

In the second case, the agency itself has been fined.

Cameron Adams trading as Century 21 Cameron Adams was fined £25,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,000 after Waltham Forest Council discovered “multiple serious offences” at an unlicensed house in multiple occupation.

These included absence of working smoke detectors, drainage problems, inadequate heating and ‘dangerously haphazard’ entrance steps.

The agency, said to manage over 100 properties in the borough, pleaded guilty to seven charges, including failure to hold a mandatory HMO licence.

Cllr Louise Mitchell, cabinet member for housing and homelessness prevention, said: “I’m glad that Cameron Adams admitted their guilt and did not even try to defend the atrocious condition of this property.

“We have seen some really awful sights at sub-standard rented accommodation, but the photos from this inspection are some of the worst I have seen.

“It’s simply unacceptable for a landlord – let alone a supposedly professional agency – to allow their properties to be rented in this state. These tenants were living in conditions that could well have posed a serious risk to their lives.”

Waltham Forest has recently been successful in its application to run a large-scale selective licensing scheme, which covers 18 out of 20 wards and requires most rental properties to be licensed.

Century 21 is an enormous global network based in America whose UK licence is operated by SDL Group.

A spokesperson told EYE: “Century 21 UK has been made aware that the Cameron Adams franchisee has been fined in relation to serious property management offences.

“As the UK franchisor of the global Century 21 brand, the business takes a zero tolerance approach to franchisees that fail to comply with the law or fail to uphold the high standards of service that customers expect from Century 21.

“Century 21 UK has therefore terminated the franchise agreement for Cameron Adams with immediate effect.”