Landlord Fined £12,000 for Converting Bungalow into 15-Room Property

A property owner who transformed a three-bedroom bungalow into a 15-room residence has been fined £12,000. Meenu Jetwani, 53, known as Mona, pleaded guilty to ten charges related to the conversion at the property located on St Pauls Road, Egham, Surrey. The penalty was imposed at Staines Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, following a prosecution initiated by Runnymede Borough Council. The authority described the dwelling as “appalling” and stated that the lives of its inhabitants had been “put at risk.” Inspectors discovered mould on a bathroom floor, inadequate smoke alarms, and rooms in the loft and eaves spaces that were only accessible by crawling. The property contained only one small kitchen and two bathrooms, with some occupants, who were paying between £85 and £125 per week, having only camp beds for sleeping. According to the council, none of the rooms met the minimum legal size for occupation, and piles of rubbish were found in the garden. The council reported that it had to obtain a warrant to enter the property, and that Jetwani and her brother initially became aggressive, threatening to undress a baby to create a safeguarding issue in an attempt to prevent council officers from visiting. A council spokesman stated: “This bungalow was in an appalling state. Our environmental health staff cannot remember another incident where a landlord had tried to profit to this extent.” He added, “People’s lives have been put at risk because of these living conditions and a family home was turned into a cash cow.” Jetwani was also mandated to pay a £2,000 victim surcharge.