A broken down lorry blocking a ‘lively’ street has highlighted controversial construction at an unlicensed property.

A house in Mill Ridge, Edgware, is being used as a house in multiple occupation (HMO), meaning to various unrelated tenants at once, without the required licensing from Barnet Council.

Mill Ridge resident Pippa Meisels said the lorry, which was supplying concrete to construct an outbuilding at the site, was obstructing the road for over three hours from 4.30pm on Thursday (September 8).

Traffic was unable to move up and down the road at this time, until mechanics arrived at 7.45pm to carry out the 20-minute job of fixing the lorry.

According to Ms Meisels, the building has been passed to a company by the owners for some time and, when residents contacted the council, it was unaware the house was being used as an HMO.

When she asked construction workers what the outbuilding was for, they said it was for storage.

Her worry is the building will be used to house even more HMO occupants, overcrowding an ‘already congested street’.

She said: “Had there been an emergency further down the road, like a fire, there is no way they would have been able to get through.

“I do recognise this was unavoidable, but it did seem a little bit of poetic justice since the builders could not complete filling in the foundations and had workmen sitting since lunchtime doing nothing.

“We live in a lively street which still feels like a community – the kids play out and many of the neighbours know each other very well.

“I love it here and my kids love it, we don't want to see our street change like so many others.”

Harry Dhimon from UK Readymix Ltd., who supplied the lorry, said were unaware they were participating in work at an unauthorised HMO and the lorry was moved as soon as it was fixed.

Barnet Council’s new additional licensing scheme came into force in July and HMO landlords will face prosecution if they do not apply for licensing under the scheme by the end of the grace period on October 1.

An unnamed council spokesperson said: “We have recently asked the landlord of the property in Mill Ridge to apply for an HMO licence. To provide assistance in doing so we have also invited the landlord to a drop in session about HMO licensing.

“Neighbours and residents who think there may be an unlicensed HMO can report it to the HMO licensing team to investigate by contacting the HMO licensing team on 0208 359 5355 or HMOs@barnet.gov.uk.”