A landlord from Solihull in the West Midlands has been ordered to pay £1,500 for failing to comply with licensing regulations for a buy-to-let property he owns in Oldham.
After discovering that Abid Jaweed was renting out his property on Kelverlow Street, Oldham, without a license, Oldham Council warned him that it is a criminal offence to operate a privately rented unlicensed property.
However, Jaweed, 49, of Dingle Lane, Solihull, ignored letters from the council informing him that he needed to sign up to the scheme for his property, and continued to rent out the property without a licence, leaving the council with no alternative but to prosecute the landlord.
He pleaded guilty and was fined £750 with an additional £750 in costs at Tameside Magistrates’ Court for not having the £490 licence needed to rent out properties in St Mary’s, Hathershaw, Waterhead, Hollinwood, Primrose Bank and selected areas of Coldhurst, Alexandra and Oldham Edge.
Councillor Barbara Brownridge, cabinet member for neighbourhoods and co-operatives, commented: “The majority of private landlords in the areas where the Selective Licensing scheme is in force are supportive of it because they, like us, know that the rented sector in Oldham needs to improve.
“But, as this prosecution shows, we are still coming across individuals who think the law doesn’t apply to them. We will take action against landlords who flout the law.
“Over the last few years our officers have discovered properties that fail to meet the required homes standard, which can have a terrible impact on the health and welfare of tenants and the wider community.
“This scheme aims to make private landlords meet satisfactory standards of tenancy and property management.
“But it is also about tenants acting responsibly in a way that does not blight their neighbourhood and showing respect for their neighbours.”
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