A council has issued a statement boasting of its record prosecuting rogue landlords.

Somerset council says it has successfully prosecuted a Taunton landlord for breaching the licensing requirements for HMOs set out in the Housing Act 2004.

A landlord failed to licence eight properties in the Taunton area, pleaded guilty and has been fined £34,640.

Additionally, a court recently threw out a case where a landlord tried to serve an injunction on the former Somerset West and Taunton District Council – which has changed structure since – to prevent the authority undertaking its statutory duty to inspect a Taunton property.

The council served enforcement notices on the landlord’s property which ordered them to make improvements as they were in breach of the Housing Act 2004. The landlord consequently tried to serve the injunction which the court did not support and was ordered to pay the council £6,000.

A spokesperson for the local authority says: “We work closely with Somerset landlords and support them to meet their legal obligations. However, we will not shy away from taking strong enforcement action and applying sanctions where they are needed.

“The council is satisfied with the outcome of these court cases and hopes it sends a strong message to deter other landlords from breaching their duties.”