THE manager of an Oxford city centre Indian restaurant was among three landlords fined a total of £11,000 for breaches of house in multiple occupation (HMO) licences over the course of a single day in July.

Abdul Saleem Chaudhry, 66, of Headley way, appeared before Oxford Magistrates' Court on Monday, July 18 after a January visit to his High Street restaurant, Shezan.

Officers from Oxford City Council encountered three members of restaurant staff living on the third floor in a high-risk, unlicensed HMO with two fire safety faults.

At court Mr Chaudhry pleaded guilty to managing an unlicensed HMO and two breaches of HMO management regulations. He was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay surcharges and council costs of £1,436.

Elsewhere Shoukat Khan, 44, of Duke Street, was prosecuted for nine breaches of his licence for an HMO in Earl Street was, including fire safety and safety certificates.

He pleaded guilty and received a fne of £2,000 and was ordered to pay surcharges and council costs of £1,375.

On the same day Deborah Humes, 57, of Inott Furze, Headington, was prosecuted after three tenants were found living at an unlicensed HMO she owned in Inott Furze.

The property also lacked two working smoke alarms or a fire door to the kitchen. Mrs Humes pleaded guilty by letter to to managing an unlicensed HMO and two breaches of the HMO management regulations. She received fines totalling £5,000 and was ordered to pay surcharges and council costs of £1,238.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, Oxford City Council's board members for planning, transport and regulatory services, said: "Oxford City Council will continue to pursue breaches of safety regulations for HMOs. We take this issue very seriously, and we urge landlords to make sure their properties comply with the rules."