Landlord and agent given fines totalling £28,000 over unlicensed HMO

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A landlord and letting agent in Liverpool who were operating an unlicensed HMO have been slapped with fines totalling £28,000.

An inspection by Flintshire County Council’s private sector housing team discovered that there were five tenants living in the HMO in Hawarden, Deeside.

At Mold Magistrates court, landlord Jayne McGuinness was fined £6,000 after she was found guilty of operating an HMO without a licence, appointing an unlicensed agent to carry out lettings work and property management work.

Her agent, RVC Estates, was found guilty of operating an HMO without a licence and four offences of not complying with HMO management regulations and fined £10,000.

Director Richard Collins was found guilty of operating an HMO without a licence, carrying out lettings work and property management work without a Rent Smart Wales Licence, four charges of not complying with HMO management regulations and failing to comply with an Improvement Notice. He was fined a total of £12,000.

Additional costs

They did not attend the court hearing and, along with the fines, were ordered to pay an additional £1,640 in costs.

Flintshire’s cabinet member for planning, public health and public protection, councillor Chris Bithell (pictured), says the successful prosecution sends a clear message that the council will protect its residents from rogue landlords who operate unlicensed HMOs and don’t comply with the Rent Smart Wales laws designed to protect tenants.

He adds: “It reflects Flintshire’s commitment to ensuring homes in the private rented sector are properly managed.” 

Pic credit: Google Streetview

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