Landlord fined

Landlord first to be fined for lack of licence

A landlord who failed to get a licence for his rented property in Salford has been convicted, in what is believed to be the first case of its kind in Greater Manchester.

Mr Shahid Ali of Russell Street, Bolton pleaded guilty at Salford Magistrates Court (4 August) for not obtaining a Mandatory House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) licence for his three-storey property on Tootal Road which was rented by five tenants.

Ali was fined £500, ordered to pay costs of £215 and will now have a criminal record.

Since July 2006 it has been compulsory for landlords of certain HMOs to licence their property in a bid to push up standards in the private rented sector.

There are more than 150 HMOs which require licensing in the city, and before Salford City Council can grant a licence it must be satisfied that:

• The proposed licence holder, landlord and managing agent (if applicable) are 'fit and proper' people
• Properties and tenancies are managed appropriately;
• The accommodation meets all minimum standards i.e. health and safety requirements e.g. has a fire alarm and has the sufficient number of toilets, kitchens and bathrooms for the number of residents.

Landlords face fines of up to £20,000 if they fail to apply for a licence for their property. If convicted of this offence, landlords will have a criminal record which they will be obliged to disclose in any further licence applications and which could affect their 'fit and proper' person status.

Said Cllr Peter Connor, Salford City Council's lead member for housing:

"HMOs provide much needed affordable housing, particularly for young people and it is important that they are protected from rogue landlords and poor housing conditions.

"The vast majority of landlords have happily worked with us in signing up for a licence, understanding the reasons behind it and supporting the need to drive up standards. There are only a handful of cases we are investigating."

To apply for a licence for a property in Salford or to enquire as to whether a landlord of a property has obtained a licence, call the landlord licensing team on 0161 793 3344 or email landlord.licensing@salford.gov.uk.

This page was last updated on 4 October 2009