First prosecution under Selective Licensing scheme

A landlord who failed to properly manage a home he rented out in Llanelli’s Tyisha ward has become the first landlord prosecuted by Carmarthenshire County Council under its Selective Licensing scheme.
The council introduced Selective Licensing in Tyisha in 2014 in an effort to improve living conditions for tenants and bring down levels of anti-social behaviour.
The scheme requires all landlords to apply for a license, but landlord Brett Richard Taylor had failed to apply.
He pleaded guilty at Carmarthenshire Magistrates Court on Friday, June 26, to an offence contrary to Section 95 of the Housing Act 2004, in that he failed to correctly licence his premises.
He was fined £290 with further costs totalling £433.
His tenant may now be able to claim back all the rental payments made during the period the property was unlicensed.
More significantly, because of his conviction, Taylor is not classified as a ‘fit and proper person’ to manage any properties he owns in Tyisha and must nominate someone else to manage them, and apply to be the licence holder, on his behalf.
Furthermore, when the Welsh Government launches its Rent Smart Wales Scheme later this month - a national landlords registration and licensing scheme which makes it mandatory for all landlords and agents in Wales to register and licence their properties - Taylor will not be able to apply and he will not be allowed to manage any properties he owns, anywhere in Wales.
Cllr Linda Evans, Executive Board Member for Housing, said: “This sends a clear message to all landlords with homes in the Tyisha ward - we are taking the Selective Licensing Scheme very seriously.
“If you rent out a poorly managed, substandard, property and leave your tenants at risk, we will catch up with you.”
She added: “We have made every effort to encourage landlords to license each of their properties in this ward, and where they fail to do so, we will prosecute. Unfortunately, as this case demonstrates, this has serious consequences for landlords in the long-run.”
The Selective Licensing Scheme gives power to local authorities to help improve the management of private rented properties in areas where they are concentrated and suffer high levels of anti-social behaviour.
It means landlords must meet certain standards to gain a license and both landlords and tenants must comply with obligations placed on them as part of the license.Tyisha, has the highest number of privately rented properties and is double the county average.
It also has the highest recorded number of incidences of anti-social behaviour in the county.
The council has already made efforts to improve the area, introducing a Local Lettings Policy which puts stricter controls on allocations of council or housing association homes – early evidence suggesting it has had a positive impact.
Cllr Evans added: “We are determined to make the Tyisha ward a better place to live, with improved housing conditions and a safer community.”
For further information call the Housing Options and Advice Team on 01267 234567.