Repeat rogue ‘luxury’ landlord firm fined £30,000 for licencing breaches

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A rogue Liverpool landlord has been fined £30,000 for failing to get licences for two student HMOs – three years after it was fined £45,000 for similar offences.

Trophy Homes, which claims to operate within the ‘luxury’ student, co-living and general rental sectors, admitted failing to apply for an HMO licence for the homes in Silvester Street in Vauxhall and Highgate Street in Edge Hill.

It had issues with safety and poor management including ineffective fire doors, overflowing drainage in the shared living room and intermittent electricity and gas supplies.

The court also heard that a manhole had been placed over a hole in the living room floor of the Highgate Street property.

At Liverpool Magistrates Court, district judge Hatton said the company had not learned its lesson and described the company as one that was “not very well run” and demonstrated a “lack of regard, lack of compliance and a lack of cooperation”.

Struck off

Details published by Companies House show that the firm is behind on its financial filing and currently faces being struck off by the Government service, a measure it has faced at least three times before.

Liverpool Council cabinet member for strategic housing and development, councillor Sarah Doyle (pictured), says Trophy Homes was happy to take the rent from students, yet provided them with sub-standard accommodation that put them at risk of injury, or much worse.

She adds: “I’m pleased that the court has imposed a substantial fine which will hopefully persuade the firm to change its ways and comply with the law in future. We won’t hesitate to step in when we have evidence of rogue landlords giving tenants a raw deal.”

Rubbish fine

Another Liverpool landlord has been handed a bill of almost £2,800 for failing to clear rubbish and maintain his vacant property.

Alex Howard, of Old Farm Road in Crosby, had not complied with notices concerning the house on Newark Street which was previously used as a cannabis farm. The house had domestic waste, including a wardrobe, dumped in the front garden and a hole in the roof that was attracting vermin.

Read more about landlord fines.

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