A landlord has been prosecuted for a second time for breaches of Wirral council’s selective licensing scheme.
The council’s housing standards team took landlord Frank Morrow to court for failing to obtain licences for two properties he owned located in designated selective licensing areas.
He was also found guilty of failing to carry out repairs at his privately rented properties.
The outstanding repairs included the requirement to carry out mandatory gas safety and electrical checks.
Following an inspection in July 2020 housing officers found the majority of the requested works required under previously-issued improvement notices had not even been started.
Morrow was found guilty in September 2021 by Liverpool Magistrates Court of six offences under the Housing Act 2004 and ordered to pay fines and costs of £7,190.
Previously - in January 2020 – Morrow had pleaded guilty to six offences under Housing Act 2004. These offences were for operating two properties in a selective licensing area without the required licences, failing to comply with two improvement notices and failing to provide certain documents, including those related to gas and electrical safety.
He was ordered to pay £3,777.
In the most recent case, District Judge Healy advised Morrow that these are continuing offences, which is putting him at risk of further prosecution.
Councillor Julie McManus of Wirral council says: “This landlord has shown contempt for the selective licensing scheme, which is designed to protect tenants from sub-standard accommodation. Above all, his actions put his tenants at risk of harm.
“The council’s housing standards team will take the strongest possible action against landlords who fail to carry out their statutory obligations. These cases send a clear message that the council will look to work with good landlords to improve the private-rented sector and clamp down on poor or criminal landlords.”
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