Section 331 — Housing Act 1985: Penalty for landlord causing or permitting overcrowding.

Penalty for landlord causing or permitting overcrowding. 331 1 The landlord of a dwelling commits a summary offence if he causes or permits it to be overcrowded.

2 He shall be deemed to cause or permit it to be overcrowded in the following circumstances, and not otherwise—

a if he or a person effecting the letting on his behalf had reasonable cause to believe that the dwelling would become overcrowded in circumstances rendering the occupier guilty of an offence;

b if he or a person effecting the letting on his behalf failed to make inquiries of the proposed occupier as to the number, age and sex of the persons who would be allowed to sleep in the dwelling;

c if notice is served on him or his agent by the local housing authority that the dwelling is overcrowded in such circumstances as to render the occupier guilty of an offence and he fails to take such steps as are reasonably open to him for securing the abatement of the overcrowding, including if necessary legal proceedings for possession of the dwelling.

3 A person committing an offence under this section is liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale and to a further fine not exceeding one-tenth of the amount corresponding to that level in respect of every day subsequent to the day on which he is convicted on which the offence continues.