Unlicensed landlord ordered to pay more than £12k for letting substandard property

A rogue landlord letting a cold, damp property with a lack of hot water and heating has been ordered to pay more than £12,000 for allowing tenants to live in poor conditions.

Stephen John Gleave from Prestatyn, Flintshire, has been found guilty of seven offences under housing legislation for allowing a mum of two to live in substandard conditions, which included poor kitchen and bathing facilities and poor fire safety provisions.

Flintshire County Council’s Environmental Health team decided to take action against Gleave, who has previous housing offence convictions, after the landlord failed to comply with an Improvement Notice and six other housing offences relating to the terraced house in Shotton, also located in Flintshire.

Offences included failing to register the rental properties with Rent Smart Wales and failing to obtain a licence to operate as a private landlord in Wales, despite both being legal requirements since November 2014.

In fact, Gleave failed to register all three of his rental properties in Flintshire with Rent Smart Wales and failed to apply for and carry out mandatory training in order to become licensed to operate as a landlord in Wales.

Flintshire County Council’s cabinet member for planning and public protection, Cllr Christopher Bithell, said: “This successful prosecution reflects Flintshire County Council’s commitment to ensuring homes in the private rented sector meet all the legal standards required for private housing in Wales.

“We believe everyone has the right to live in a home which is in good repair, has ready access to all necessary amenities and is free from physical hazards.

“Whilst we aim to reduce the health effects of poor housing conditions through a combination of advice and financial assistance, occasionally we deal with matters that are so serious that a prosecution is necessary.

“This prosecution sends out a clear message to other private landlords, that non-compliance with current housing standards and non –compliance with the Rent Smart Wales laws – is completely unacceptable.”

Gleave, who has was fined £10,600 and ordered to pay £1,688 costs.

This is not Gleave first offence as a landlord.

Last December he was fined more than £11,000 after leaving an elderly tenant without adequate heating and bathing facilities, along with poor kitchen amenities, inadequate fire safety provisions and slates falling off the roof.

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