A landlord guilty of 19 offences has been fined £369 after a process which began in September and involved council officers’ time and a magistrates court hearing.

John Hitchman Small, of Cardiff, appeared at the city’s Magistrates’ Court and pleaded guilty to 19 offences relating to housing and licensing laws.

The case followed a complaint in September 2025 from a tenant at his property in the city.

The renter reported water leaks coming into contact with the electrical unit at the property, raising serious safety concerns.

The property is a two-storey Victorian terraced building with a ground floor commercial unit, a first floor flat, and a ground and first floor annex maisonette. 

Investigations by the council found that the annex had been created without planning permission and had not been checked by Building Control.

Further checks showed that Small was not registered or licensed with Rent Smart Wales, which is a legal requirement for landlords in Wales.

Council officers inspected the property in October and several serious hazards were identified, including no adequate fire alarm system; incomplete fire doors;

no fixed heating in the flats; poor fire separation between rooms; a bedroom without a safe escape route; trip and fall hazards; and an overgrown garden with waste likely to attract rodents.

The court heard that these failings breached several laws, including the Housing Act 2004, the Housing (Wales) Act 2014, and the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

Small was fined £369 and ordered to pay £464 in costs and a victim surcharge of £148.

Cardiff councillor Lynda Thorne says: “Due to the serious risks identified at this property, the council issued an Emergency Prohibition Order. This meant the annex maisonette could not be used as living accommodation until the problems were fixed.

“Council officers tried to engage with Mr Small, but he failed to respond to a legal request for information, so the case was brough to court.

“This case highlights how important it is for landlords to engage with the council and respond to requests for information at an early stage. 

“Taking prompt action can help avoid risks to tenants and prevent issues from escalating to formal enforcement.”