Somerset Landlord Prosecuted

A landlord has been successfully prosecuted by Somerset Council for breaches of the Housing Act 2004.

The landlord owned eight properties in the Taunton area which were each let as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

Under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 it is a mandatory requirement that a landlord, with a property let to five or more occupiers from two or more households (families), must hold an HMO licence for that property.

This involves making an application to the Local Authority and subjecting the property to an inspection and assessment under the Housing Health and Safety Rating System Regulations.

In this instance the landlord failed to do this for any of their properties. Having ignored routine reminders of the requirement to licence, the landlord was eventually prosecuted.

A guilty plea was entered and the landlord was fined a total of £34,640.

If you need any guidance on HMO’s, or you think you may have one please do contact a member of our team – we are always happy to give advice.