Police notified the council of overcrowding and unlicensed…

A multi-occupancy house in Coventry which came under the spotlight after reports of overcrowding is being investigated for failing to meet housing standards.

The city council received information from the police that an address in Coventry was overcrowded; the authority suspected the property was being used as an unlicensed HMO and therefore obtained a warrant to enter the property.

A morning inspection was carried out by the council and a police exploitation team.

The property was found to be an unlicensed HMO with various breaches of management regulations; there were also some concerns about the issues of modern slavery, but these were not identified.

A council spokesman says: “We are committed to improving the standards of private sector housing in the city. Sharing information, in this example highlighting potential overcrowding concerns and checking issues such as modern slavery, highlights the importance of working together.

“When accommodation is not managed responsibly and regulations are broken, we will use the range of legal powers to take action to ensure tenants are protected.”

And Chief Inspector Dave Amos says:

“Modern slavery involves the exploitation of some of society’s most vulnerable people and we are committed to protecting them wherever and whenever we receive information.

“Our teams regularly work on intelligence and take action against individuals and premises suspected of being involved in modern slavery.

“We rely on the public for information to help our investigations, so if you are concerned about modern slavery happening where you live, contact us on 101 or Live Chat, or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

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