BARNSLEY Council bosses have cracked down on a number of unlicensed houses of multiple occupation after completing a series of warrants alongside the police including a two-bedroom property which had sleeping arrangements for TWELVE people.

Two properties one in the Central ward and another in the North East ward were identified as unlicensed HMOs, with concerns identified with regard to the number of occupants and conditions they are living in.

The council say that after they received intelligence regarding the situation, they applied for a court warrant.

This was executed recently with South Yorkshire Police as part of Operation Duxford.

At the first location, where it is believed up to eight people live, the property was found to be in disrepair.

Only two occupants had formal tenancy agreements.

The council will follow up by pursuing a significant civil penalty or prosecution against the landlord.

The second, a two-bedroom property, was discovered to have sleeping arrangements for up to twelve people despite only three being present at the time of the warrant.

The property was severely affected by damp and mould, and follow-up action is underway to address the health and safety concerns.

Council bosses have said the crackdown is part of a proactive approach to ‘address the exploitations for vulnerable adults’.

They added that unlicensed HMOs can have link to financial and criminal activities and are subsequently tackling the impacts of unregulated accommodation on local communities.

Coun Wendy Cain, cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, said: “We are committed to tackling the issues that harm the stability of our communities.

“The exploitation of vulnerable people through unsafe living conditions and criminal activities has a devastating impact on both those affected and the wider community.

“By working closely with our partners, we are sending a strong message that we will not tolerate these practices.

“This is a serious issue, and we will continue to take the necessary steps to protect Barnsley residents from harm.”

Bosses say they are working hard to improve housing standards, crack down on exploitation and restore safety and stability to the affected areas.

Coun Nicola Sumner, who represents the Central ward where one of the incidents took place, told the Chronicle: “I’m delighted the council have taken this action.

“Let’s have more of it.

“We don’t want illegal HMOs and exploitation of people in our communities.

“Intelligence seems to have been the key here.

“If you have concerns as a resident, report it to the council.

“Social media reporting doesn’t count.”