Two Reading based landlords, Mohammed Zulfiquar Wahid, aged 41, and Mohammed Ghafoor Ahmed, aged 40, both admitted having control of or managing a house in multiple occupation (HMO) without a current licence.

They have been fined a total of £8,000 and ordered to pay more than £2,000 costs after a successful prosecution.

Richard Davies, Lead Councillor for Housing at Reading Borough Council, said: “Anyone renting out an HMO with 3 or more storeys and 5 or more occupants must have a license to do so. Tenants can check if their landlord has a licence on the Council website and if any landlord is in doubt about whether they need a license they should contact the Council’s HMO team. Unlicensed HMOs can also be reported using a form on the website.

"The Council will always stand up for residents who live in private rented accommodation. We take our regulatory duties for HMOs very seriously and will prosecute those who flout the law.”

Reading magistrates fined each of them £4,000 with £1,134 cost for the offences, which took place in 2013, relating to a property in Pell Street, which Ahmed owns and his brother Wahid manages.