A company that crammed 12 people into a four-bedroom house has been fined £10,000.

When enforcement officers raided the illegally rented property in Cranbourne Avenue, Wanstead, they found 12 people living in the four-bedroom house.

As well as being unlicensed and severely overcrowded, the property was unsafe and did not meet the standards required as the company failed to carry out mandatory fire safety measures.

Redbridge Council prosecuted the landlord, Station Estates of Whitebarn Lane, Dagenham.

The firm initially appealed the financial penalty but then accepted the four breaches of HMO regulations and the a £10,000 fine.

Landlords must have a licence to rent out houses in multiple occupation and can be fined up to £30,000 if they don’t get one.

The company has previously been prosecuted and heavily fined for failing to licence another HMO in Barking.

Cllr Farah Hussain, cabinet member for housing, said: “We will not tolerate any landlord or managing agent who causes misery for tenants and puts them at risk. All HMOs must now have a licence and this financial penalty sends out a clear message that we will take tough action against rogue operators who break the law.

“We will continue to knock on the door of all suspected HMOs as part of our proactive plans to root out unscrupulous landlords and improve standards in the private rented sector.”

As well as mandatory licensing for HMOs, the council has introduced a selective licensing scheme covering 79 per cent of the private rented sector in the borough.

Property owners or agents can apply for a licence here.

And renters can check if their landlords and letting agents have ever been convicted of any housing offences on the rogue landlords and letting agents checker tool found here.