Sutton in Ashfield Landlord fined £17,500 for renting out unlicensed properties

The properties in Sutton are in the Council’s Selective Licensing Scheme which means that all landlords with any privately rented properties in the selected area will need a licence for these properties. Selective licensing was extended in place in these two areas in 2022, and has helped to bring about change and improvement to homes and the wider community.

Despite a number of attempts to secure an application from the landlord and agency, including a final warning advising of the consequences of failing to licence the two properties, the landlord still did not submit any application or paperwork required for the properties.

Officers visited the two residences as part of the inquiry and found that they were occupied. They also found that there were safety concerns, which are being addressed apart from the licensing offenses.

“It is a criminal offence to let a privately rented property in a designated area without a Selective Licence in place,” stated John Bennett, Executive Director of Place. Prosecution and a fine that never expires or a monetary penalty of up to £30,000 are possible punishments. We will always make an effort to interact with and assist landlords in obtaining their license before taking enforcement action.

“Selective licensing has allowed the Council to regulate housing for the safety of both tenants and landlords, which has brought about really positive changes to the designated areas.”

It was not agreed upon for the landlord who was fined this month to identify themselves in order for them to receive the punishment.

Since the inception of the current selective licensing regime, landlords who have failed to license their property or violated their duties have been hit with a total of six financial fines totaling over £56,500. Ten more investigations into similar offenses are still underway.

In order to make sure Ashfield’s housing is safe, the Environmental Health Residential Team wants to collaborate with landlords and tenants.

Please email PRSsupport@ashfield.gov.uk or call 01623457345 (option1) to reach the Environmental Health Residential Team if you need assistance with your rental property as a landlord or tenant.