HBC: Three landlords prosecuted for renting without a licence

Three Hyndburn landlords have recently become the first to be prosecuted for failing to comply with the requirements of the Council’s Selective Licensing Scheme, collectively incurring fines and costs totaling almost £3000.

The Council introduced selective licensing in December 2012, to help tackle low housing demand and requires landlords to comply with a range of conditions to ensure good property management. The scheme requires all landlords in parts of Church, Kirk, Peel, Springhill, West Accrington and Woodnook to apply for a licence.

However, Mrs Suzanne Smith of Oswaldtwistle, failed to do so and became the first landlord to end up in court. Mrs Smith pleaded guilty at Hyndburn Magistrates’ Court to an offence under section 95 of the Housing Act 2004, for failing to correctly licence her rental property at Wilfred Street, Accrington.

Two more landlords recently faced Hyndburn Magistrates Court for failing to obtain a licence. On 3rd September 2015, Alastair Buchanan MacDonald of Clitheroe was convicted in his absence of failing to obtain a landlord licence for his rental property at Cobham Road, Accrington.

Mr Brian Capstick of Accrington also attended court on 10th September and pleaded guilty to failing to obtain a landlord licence for his rental property at Princess Street, Accrington.

Councillor Clare Cleary, Cabinet Member for Housing, said, “These prosecutions send a clear message to all landlords with homes in the designated area, that we are taking the selective licensing scheme very seriously. It’s about improving the lives of tenants and improving the area, and, where landlords don’t apply for a licence and fail to engage with us, it can mean facing a court summons. The Private Rented Team is in the process of bringing further cases of this kind to Court. So if you are a landlord without a licence in this area, apply urgently, as these cases show, the consequences of renting a property without a licence can be extremely serious.”

To find out if a property is within the selective licensing area, visit www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk, telephone the Council’s Private Rented Team on 01254 388111, or email strat@hyndburnbc.gov.uk