More than 30 men, women and children have been found living illegally in a squalid three-bedroom house in east London.

Police and council officers raided the address in Dagenham on December 16 and found a large group living in dirty conditions.

The property included an unlicensed shed in the back garden, where a man and a woman were found to be living on two double mattresses with an electric heater.

The single storey brick structure in the rear garden was fitted with double glazed windows and a door. It was wired with electrical lighting, although this was not working at the time officers stepped in.

Away from the main property raided by police, there was also an unlicensed shed in the back garden (Pictured). It had double glazed windows and a door

Inside the shed, a man and a woman were found to be living on two double mattresses and an electric heater (Pictured)

More than 25 people, including children, were thought to be living in the main building of the squalid, three-bedroom property on Albert Road.

Councillor Margaret Mullane, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety told the Independent she found the living conditions 'terribly depressing'.

'I find it terribly depressing. It is exploitation. Misery is inflicted on people in the name of bad landlords trying to make a profit', she said.

'I can't even imagine having children living in those conditions. Until the housing crisis is dealt with, you will keep getting these rogue landlords, but we will keep fighting them.'

She added that the raid was an 'excellent example' of a partnership working between the council and the police.

'Landlords and letting agents operating in Barking and Dagenham have to play by the rules', she said.

'If you are going to let out your home, then you must get a licence which ensures your property meets agreed standards and is safe. If you fail to do so, we will find you and we will take robust enforcement action which may also lead to a prosecution and a large fine.'

The council will now serve Housing Enforcement Notices for contravention under the Housing Act, including fire safety, damp and disrepair (Pictured: The inside of the shed)

More than 25 people, including children, were thought to be living in the main building of the squalid, three-bedroom property (Pictured: Albert Road in Dagenham)

The local authority said it will now serve Housing Enforcement Notices for a number of infringements under the Housing Act, including fire safety, damp and disrepair.

If convicted, the landlord could face an unlimited fine plus any added court costs.

Police also arrested a man at the property who was wanted for failing to appear in court.

The discovery comes after thirty people believed to be immigrants were found squeezed into one three bedroom house in Harrow, north west London.

Stacks of mattresses were found crammed into every room inside the semi-detached property, in a discovery featured in Channel 5 documentary 'Nightmare Tenants, Slum Landlords'.

Inspectors were called to the house after a string of noise and hygiene complaints from neighbours. When they arrived, they were met by a man, speaking in a foreign language, who told them that a staggering 15 people - mostly from overseas - were living in the semi.

Housing officer Ozge Albayrak said: 'It's the classic case, mattresses on top of each other, so they line them up, that's how they fit so many people in.'

However, a truck stuffed with even more mattresses pulled up outside to provide for the thirty people who were discovered to be living in the house.

Ozge ventured into the garden, stating that this was where some people liked to 'hide'.

The discovery follows what officers in Kingsbury, north west London, dubbed 'one of the worst' illegal houses in multiple occupation it had ever seen last year (Pictured, a previous incident)

Police found more than 20 men living in 'appalling and unsafe' living conditions and could barely enter the house because mattresses were 'jammed up against the doors' (Pictured, a previous incident)

A spokeswoman for Brent Council said it was 'one of the worst' illegal HMOs it had ever uncovered (Pictured, a previous incident)

It follows another case in Kingsbury, north west London, which Brent Council dubbed 'one of the worst' illegal houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) it had ever seen.

Police found more than 20 men living in 'appalling and unsafe' living conditions and could barely enter the house because mattresses were 'jammed up against the doors'.

Every room in the illegal HMO, except for the kitchen and bathroom, contained bed spaces - including the 'tiny, windowless' loft space.

The landlord was said to be pocketing more than £1,000 per week from the squalid property when the home was discovered in September last year.

A raid at the three-bedroom property was prompted by complaints from residents about the number of men seen coming and going from the house in the suburban street of Princes Avenue.

The disgusting conditions, for which the men were paying between £30 and £50 to live in, also had faulty smoke alarms, poor ventilation and fire hazards.

A spokeswoman for Brent Council said it was 'one of the worst' illegal HMOs it had ever uncovered.

Every room in the illegal HMO, except for the kitchen and bathroom (pictured, a previous incident), contained bed spaces - including the 'tiny, windowless' loft space

'Aside from seeing rodents or cockroaches it is one of the worst we have seen', she added. 'The loft was just appalling - really awful conditions.'

A house in multiple occupation is a property rented by at least three people who are not from one family or household. These 'house shares' often have communal bathrooms and kitchens.

Landlords are required to attain a licence if they are renting out a 'large HMO' in England and Wales. These are properties rented to more than five tenants who form more than one household.

Each licence is valid for a maximum of five years and a separate certificate is needed for every HMO a landlord runs.

Landlords must ensure a property is 'suitable for the number of occupants' it contains and that the house manger is 'fit and proper' for the job. This means 'they have no criminal record or breach of landlord laws or code of practice'.