Emoov proprietor fined greater than £21,000 for unlicensed HMO

Southend-on-Sea Metropolis Council has efficiently prosecuted two property firms owned by Nick Neale, an property agent with greater than 25 years of expertise, for working an unlicensed Home in A number of Occupation (HMO) with severe security breaches.

Westpoint Property Restricted (the freeholder) and Griffin Residential Restricted (now buying and selling as Emoov) every pleaded responsible to 9 offences, together with failure to licence an HMO and breaches of HMO administration rules.

The case was heard at Basildon Magistrates Courtroom. Westpoint Property Restricted was ordered to pay a complete of £14,282, whereas Griffin Residential Restricted was fined £7,394. The quantities embody fines and court docket prices.

The prosecution adopted a council inspection in September 2023 at 115 York Highway, Southend-on-Sea. Officers discovered the property working as an unlicensed HMO with severe failings, together with insufficient fireplace detection and firefighting gear, poorly maintained communal areas, and a big build-up of waste on the driveway.

Cllr Martin Terry, cupboard member for group security and regulatory companies, mentioned: “Poorly managed and unlicensed HMOs are an actual explanation for concern within the metropolis. These prosecutions ship a transparent message: we are going to take robust motion towards landlords and property firms who break the regulation and put residents in danger.

“The substantial fines imposed on this case exhibit the seriousness of the offences and the Council’s willpower to guard tenants and uphold requirements.”

Lat month Emoov introduced {that a} yr after rebranding from Griffin Property Co, the net property company is setting its sights on additional progress, with plans to develop its suite of digital instruments and enhance buyer help companies.

Beneath the management of Nick Neale, Emoov has strengthened its presence within the UK market over the previous 12 months. The company has reported progress in main city centres together with London, Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, and Glasgow.

Positioning itself as a tech-enabled different to conventional high-street brokers, Emoov’s service begins at £395 upfront for gross sales and £59.50 for lettings.

Based in 2010 by Russell Quirk with backing from former Dragons’ Den star James Caan, Emoov rapidly turned one of many UK’s most recognisable on-line property company manufacturers. A 2018 merger with Sarah Beeny’s Tepilo marked a excessive level, however the firm entered administration in 2019.

The model was revived in 2021 underneath the possession of Mashroom, a PropTech platform, and launched a assured supply service permitting owners to promote rapidly by way of an on the spot buyout scheme. This initiative was supported by a multi-million-pound credit score facility organized with Selina Finance, a UK lender backed by GFC and Picus Capital.

Nonetheless, the assured supply mannequin failed to achieve important traction. In response, Mashroom opted to dump the Emoov model to Griffin Property Co.

The corporate’s progress has additionally been supported by the involvement of Neale’s kids, who every maintain lively roles throughout the enterprise.

Jacob contributes to onboarding and advertising, Jessica oversees customer support, purchaser verification, and issuing memorandums of sale, whereas Sophie manages property administration and gross sales development.