18-month probe into HMOs ends with fine for rogue operator

An 18 month probe by different authorities has led to a £4,000 fine for an HMO owner in the Highlands.

The local council and Police Scotland started looking into HMOs at Dingwall in September 2017. 

The investigation identified several unlicensed HMOs and a report was submitted to the Procurator Fiscal’s Office at the time.

Now Inverness businesswoman Claire Mohammed has been fined £4,000 for operating a house in multiple occupation at Dingwall without a licence.

Gregor MacCormick, Highland Council senior environmental health office says: “This was a significant operation for the Environmental Health team with visits being undertaken to nine individual flats. Serious safety concerns were identified in respect of both the management and maintenance of the flats, and we therefore welcome the level of fine that has been imposed. 

“Our main aim in these investigations is to ensure the safety and wellbeing of tenants. We will continue to work in partnership to conduct such interventions in the future and take robust action where we find that landlords have failed in their responsibilities.” 

Detective Inspector Peter Mackenzie, Police Scotland, adds: “This operation brought together several partner agencies with Police Scotland and Environmental Health Officers from Highland Council taking the lead and working closely together to gather a sufficiency of evidence in relation to serious safety concerns that were identified and subsequently reported to the Procurator Fiscal.”