A LANDLORD was fined more than £4,000 after 16 people were found living in filthy conditions in a house – and its garden shed.

Hillingdon Council officers visited the property, in Hillingdon Road, Uxbridge, in June last year, after a tenant complained that the ceiling in her room had collapsed and claimed there were a number of other problems with the house.

It was licensed to house 13 people but inspectors found 16 living there.

A self-contained annexe in the back garden was illegally let out.

Officers described the house as ‘filthy’, with fire safety equipment unmaintained.

The council has released pictures which show the extent of the mess, including holes in the ceiling, mould and dirt.

Tenants told council officers that their repeated requests to carry out repairs and improve the condition of the house had been ignored by landlord Sandeep Bhambra, of Billet Lane, Slough.

He appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on February 21 and admitted five counts of flouting housing regulations.

He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £500 towards the council’s legal costs.

Councillor Philip Corthorne, cabinet member for social care health and housing, said: “Tenants in the borough should be provided with safe and clean accommodation.

“Any landlord not managing their property to the appropriate standard will be investigated by Hillingdon Council.”

Last week, the Gazette reported a plea from the borough’s Labour councillors to tackle the issue of so-called ‘beds in sheds’ the phenomenon of illegal accommodation in outbuildings.

Labour leader, Councillor Mo Khursheed, criticised the lack of data, and said more should be done to tackle the problem, although there have not been a large number of cases here so far.