Landlord faces investigation for allegedly charging £500 per month to rent this tiny 'bedroom'

A landlord who was allegedly charging £500 per month to rent a 'bedroom' with space for just a mat on the floor is facing an investigation.

Officers from Newham Council went to the unidentified property in East Ham on Monday morning, acting on intelligence.

The council has a compulsory licensing scheme whereby landlords have to register who is living at the property and provide details of tenancy agreements and gas and electrical safety certificates when requested.

Police and inspectors visited the house after the landlord allegedly failed to provided the information when asked for it.

Once inside the house - which was supposed to be a three bedroom property - they found five rooms were being used for sleeping, including a poorly converted loft space.

Officers said they found evidence of sleeping areas for ten people in total, although the landlord had told Newham Council there was just a single family living in the house.

Police said a man had reported that he was paying £500 per month to sleep on just a mat on the floor of one room of the property - though a council spokeswoman said tenants had told them they were paying between £200 and £250.

Andrew Baikie, Newham Council’s mayoral advisor for housing, said: “Our pioneering private rented sector licensing scheme is using council data to hone in on landlords who are exploiting tenants by cramming them into houses to make a quick profit.

“During a joint operation with the police on Monday we found this three-bedroom property in East Ham with evidence of ten sleeping areas, including this mat.

"We are still investigating but this landlord can expect to hear from us in the near future about potential breaches of housing regulations and licensing laws.”

Police Inspector Phil Stinger said: “Multiple occupancy houses can generate increases in demand on both the police and local services as they often house a hidden population, many of whom are in the UK illegally.

“We carry out weekly joint visits to addresses and deal with properties that generate high levels of anti-social behaviour and crime, whilst targeting landlords who are taking advantage of their tenants."