A £5,000 fine handed to a landlord for not having an HMO licence has been slashed by 50 per cent.
The landlord appealed the original fine to a First Tier Tribunal, which agreed with the fine in principle but cut it to £2,500.
The landlord then appealed at the Upper Tribunal (lands chamber) in London on the grounds that the council had served the notice out of time and did not have sufficient evidence.
The Upper Tribunal Judge Elizabeth Cooke agreed with the First Tier Tribunal decision and rejected this further appeal on both counts.
A spokesperson for the council concerned - Welwyn Hatfield - says: “These tribunal decisions have vindicated the decision of our officers to fine a landlord who was not acting lawfully and continued to operate without the correct licence.
“We want to reassure private sector tenants that they can find good quality, fully vetted tenancies by going through our landlord accreditation scheme. “
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... Local ( and Central ) Govt. would do well to point out to tenants that their increased rents and decreasing availability of rented property is in part due to Council money-grabbing Licensing schemes.
I love landlords that say the council licensing scheme is money grabbing. So what are landlords? Renting and investing in properties is for charity? Not I buying so my kids have somethings, not income for my pension etc. someone else is paying your mortgage and you’re ripping the benefits. The government needs to make all private rented properties require a licence and cap rent. I am sure we will get rib of a lot of landlords and the real landlords will still be there just like before 1985.
Yonette - Has it occurred to you why nobody has liked your post? Perhaps it has something to do with your comment that P.LLS are “money grabbing” and that rents should be capped!
The Councils new demands for P.LLS to license their BTL is “most definitely a money making scheme!.”
Professional LLS do not have an issue with obtaining a LL license, they are simply infuriated with the unjustifiable huge costs involved in doing so.
It is ignorant to suggest Investing in properties makes P.LLS “money grabbers!”
You clearly are not a LL yourself as you do not understand the costs involved in having a BTL.
This forum is called “Landlord Today”, and as you have such a grim view of P.LLS perhaps you should go on a different forum whereby your comments would be welcomed elsewhere - as they certainly are not here!!
I always wonder why the council needs LL licence (apart from the extra money, of course). If it is to keep / raise accommodation standards then if the tenant has a problem they contact the LL, if no joy then they report the issue to the council.
As for rent caps, I can't see that helping tenants. See what happened to so many energy companies going bust and our bills aren't any cheaper. The size of the rental market will get smaller, so less choice for tenants. Also with caps, that guarantees the rent will go up every year. A lot of LL's keep the rent the same for a long time for good tenants.
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