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TODAY'S OTHER NEWS

Oxford letting agent faces £8,000 fine

A letting agency has been handed fines totalling £7,000 and costs of £1,140 after the council took it to court over an unlicensed HMO.

The Letting Centre Oxford Ltd, based in the Oxford suburb of Headington, was prosecuted after Oxford city council environmental health officers found that it was managing the rental of an HMO that was unlicensed and failing to comply with fire safety requirements.

Officers from the council visited the property last November and an inspection confirmed suspicions that it was an unlicensed and unsafe HMO. The property had a missing fire door and locks on doors that could stop occupants escaping if there was a fire.

Darren Hazell, director of The Letting Centre (Oxford) Ltd, has pleaded guilty to being in control of an unlicensed HMO and has received a fine of £5,000 for failing to obtain a licence. He has also pleaded guilty to one breach of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 and has received a fine of £2,000.

The court also ordered the agency to pay the council’s full costs of £1,140 for bringing the case to court.

“The city council requires all houses in multiple occupation to be licensed in order to raise standards in properties as well as their management. We will take action against landlords who fail to comply with legal requirements to license and maintain HMOs to acceptable standards,” a spokesman for the council said.

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  • Jamie  Humm

    Oh dear. When will these people learn?

    (Probably never)

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    Whilst i 100% agree with the caseCouncils do Not apply the same rules to their properties. Being the largest LLs in the UK, they will insist on a licence and apply their rules but the very same property next door to the private property will not have the sames rules or regulations, Fact and they them come bzck and say they dont.
    Also they were responcible as LLs for the largest number of fatalities in one block. Lead by example first and foremost.

  • icon

    Is it worth getting involved with HMOs seems to me they are more trouble than they are worth, and attract the wrong sort of tenants.

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