London’s ‘slum landlord’ barred from letting houses for five years

A ‘slum landlord’ in London has been banned from letting houses in England for five years after being found guilty of multiple offences, including squeezing dozens of tenants into a home.

Brent Council also barred Jaydipkumar Rameshchandra Valand, 48, from engaging in any sort of property management work in the country during the period.

In 2018, Harrow Crown Court found Valand one of four people guilty of making £360,000 by packing up to 40 tenants into a four-bedroom semi-detached home in Napier Road, Wembley. One such tenant was found living in a lean-to shack with no lighting or heating.

Although he was subjected to a £5,000 confiscation order, Valand, from Wembley Central, continued to exploit vulnerable tenants.

In 2022, he was found to have violated housing regulations at a house of multiple occupancy on Wembley Hill Road.

Enforcement officers noticed fire safety violations, unhygienic conditions and disrepairs under his management. He got £1,400 a month from the tenants living in unsafe conditions without tenancy agreements.

Willesden Magistrates Court fined Valad £30,000 and ordered him to pay £3,347 in costs. He was also ordered to pay £6,190 for falsifying that he had not owned a business in the UK.

Brent Council leader Muhammed Butt said it was the first time that the local authority issued such a ban since it was empowered in 2018 to bar serial rogue landlords.

Butt warned that Valand would face a prison sentence if he breached his five-year ban issued on August 9.

“Brent Council takes a zero-tolerance policy against rogue landlords such as this,” he said, adding, “We will use everything in our powers to hold them to account to safeguard our vulnerable residents.”