A property services company in Nottingham has been ordered to pay over £7,000 for failing to licence six properties.
During sentencing today (11/12/2019) Nottingham Magistrates Court ordered Bramley Apple Properties Ltd, trading as Jillings Estates, of The Corner House, King Street, Southwell, to pay a fine and legal costs totalling £7349.
Nottingham City Council prosecuted the company for failing to licence a number of properties within their management control. The company pleaded guilty to the offences in court on 5 November 2019
Bramley Apple Properties pleaded guilty to 6 offences of failure to licence under Selective Licensing scheme, under Section 85(1) and 95(2) of the Housing Act 2004 – Selective Licensing. All six of the properties were in Basford or The Park
The total rental income for the six properties amounted to around £3,595per month. The cost of licensing all six properties would be £4,680 for up to 5 years. Bramley Apple Limited managed the properties on behalf of the owners who were living abroad, but the company failed to put in place measures to ensure the properties were appropriately licensed.
The purpose of the licensing scheme is to ensure that all landlords and managers of properties in the designated area are identified to the council as ‘fit and proper’ persons and whether their management structures and funding arrangements for the property are suitable. Selective Licensing enables the council to work with landlords to raise standards of management in the properties, to assist with the appropriate management of anti-social behaviour which would minimise any negative impact on the neighbourhood.
Cllr Linda Woodings, Portfolio Holder for Planning, Housing and Heritage, said: “The Selective Licencing scheme has been active in the city for well over a year now – so there really is no excuse for not licencing properties. What is particularly disappointing is that this is a professional company failing in their duty.
“Tenants deserve to live in a certain standard of home, and the licence helps to ensure they get that. I hope this puts out a message to other property agents, companies and landlords that if they don’t work with us to licence their properties, then they could face prosecution.”
The Safer Housing team would urge any tenants, who wish to report a landlord who has failed to licence their property to contact the call centre on 0115 915 2020 option 3.