Cardiff Council’s Housing Enforcement Team has brought a successful prosecution against Topaz Property Company Ltd, which was fined £15 000 at Cardiff’s Magistrates Court on June 25th 2013, for offences under the Housing Act 2004 and the Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations 2007.
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This prosecution follows other proceedings taken against the company in May by Newport City Council for failing to abide under the same legislation with fines totalling £25,000.
Housing Enforcement Officers visited 191/193 Penarth Road in October 2012 and identified significant defects including dangerous electrics, a defective soil and vent pipe, kitchens incapable of proper cleaning, rotten and broken windows, defective fire alarms and defective lighting. An order was also placed on the company to supply the necessary certificates for the amenities, fire alarms, energy performance and tenancy agreements which never materialised.
The illegal defects posed a danger to the residents living there and following the guilty plea, District Judge Charles described the company as an ‘unscrupulous organisation that was interested in profit and nothing else’.
Councillor Lynda Thorne, Cabinet Member for Communities, Housing and Social Justice, said: “This prosecution should send a clear message to landlords providing inadequate services for tenants that the Council will prosecute if necessary. All efforts were made to engage with this company to correct the failings and Judge Charles acknowledged the company failed to engage with us, so we took them to court and won. This property posed a significant danger to those living there, as well as the serious failings identified by Housing Enforcement; the company also didn’t have the correct certificates for the safety of the gas and electric supplied to the property.
“The Council is keen to develop a good working relationship with private sector landlords as private rented property plays a very important role in Cardiff’s housing stock, making up 22% of all properties in Cardiff. The Council provides training and is holding a consultation event with private sector landlords on July 16th at County Hall, to discuss the services provided and see what other support we can offer. As well as this support, enforcement action will continue to identify and prosecute those operating illegally.”
Further Information
- Cardiff Council is holding a consultation event at County Hall in Cardiff Bay with landlords at 4 pm on July 16th to discuss the services available and see what services can be improved to provide additional support. The first 25 landlords to sign up to the event will receive free accreditation training which usually costs £75. A further press release will follow giving information on this event.
- The prosecution was in relation to breaches under Section 235 of the Housing Act 2004 and the Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations 2007.
- Topaz Property Company Ltd’s registered business address is Unit 17, Curran Road, Butetown CF10 5DF
- Topaz Property Company Ltd was fined £15 000, ordered to pay Cardiff Council’s costs of £4466.40 and a victim surcharge of £120
- On the day of the prosecution Topaz Property Company Ltd has been given 56 days to pay the fine and costs.
