A landlord who illegally let and managed rental properties has been ordered to pay more than £7,000 after failing to comply with Rent Smart Wales requirements.

Thomas Daniel Landek of Swansea pleaded guilty to offences under the Housing (Wales) Act 2014. 

A court heard that Landek admitted failures relating to two rental properties in Swansea.

There had been a complaint from a member of the public that the properties were being rented out without the landlord being registered or licensed.

A Rent Smart Wales investigation found that Landek was not licensed to carry out property management activities at one property, and was neither registered nor licensed for the other.

Magistrates fined Landek £4,200, ordered him to pay £1,125 in costs and imposed a £1,760 victim surcharge, bringing the total amount payable to £7,085.

A spokesperson says: “The scheme recently marked its tenth anniversary, so there really is no excuse for landlords not to be aware of their legal obligations or to fail to comply.

“In this case, the landlord was given ample opportunity and support to get registered and licensed. 

“The process is straightforward, guidance is readily available, and officers work with landlords to help them comply. 

“Instead, this individual chose to ignore the law. 

“That foolish approach has resulted in a criminal prosecution and significant financial penalties — all of which could have been avoided by taking simple steps to comply.”