An unlicensed landlord who rented out rooms with dangerous electrics refused to pay the fine imposed on him or answer any letters from Slough Borough Council.

The council took a civil case against the landlord due to the dangerous standard of living conditions in the Home of Multiple Occupancy in St Pauls Avenue.

Rooms in the house were being rented out separately to tenants despite the presence of serious hazards, including single pieces of wire being used instead of fuses and dangerous wiring to an outbuilding believed to be used as accommodation.

Requests for work to be carried out to a basic standard of safety were ignored and the housing and regulations team requested the council’s repairs, maintenance and investment partners, Osborne, to go into the house and make it safe for tenants.

A £37,000 penalty charge notice was issued in June. But the landlord refused to pay or or engage in any correspondence with the council.

Now a County Court judgement has blocked the sale of the house until the fine is paid.

Rhian Richards, housing regulation manager, said: “People were living in dangerous conditions where there could have been a serious incident which could have put the tenants at risk of harm.

“When we tried to engage with the landlord we were not successful and had to bring in a team of electricians and gas engineers to make sure the tenants were able to live in the basic level of safety.

“The only option was to serve the landlord with a Penalty Charge Notice which they failed to pay.

“Now the charge on the property will prevent the owner from selling the property without first paying the full amount to Slough Borough Council.