Flats Owner & Manager Prosecuted For State Of Accommodation

The owners and manager of two town centre flats have been prosecuted for the state of accommodation.

Two flats above a bar on Town Hill, Wrexham, were inspected by two officers of the Council’s Private Sector Housing Enforcement Team at the beginning of this year and were found to be well below the required safety standards. The flats are owned by Tempo Estates Ltd and managed by David Wyn Thomas (age 54) of Penny Black, Abbot Street, Wrexham.

Both Tempo Estates and David Wyn Thomas were recently prosecuted at Wrexham Magistrates Court for a number of Housing Act and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Management Regulation offences.

Tempo Estates Ltd were found guilty of failing to comply with an Improvement Notice and failure to comply with an Emergency Prohibition Order previously made in relation to the second floor flat, for which they were fined £1,000.

Tempo Estates Ltd were also found guilty for failing to licence the property as a HMO for which they received a £4,000 fine.

The manager, Mr Thomas, was found guilty of six breaches of the Management Regulations and was fined a total of £4,000, which included a fine of £1,000 for failing to display his name, address and telephone number, and a fine of £1,500 for failing to ensure the escape route was kept clear and fire alarms were maintained. He was also ordered to pay £5,000 costs to the Council.

Both parties were also ordered to pay a victims surcharge of £200.

The owners will now need to employ a new manager who is not associated with the company or Mr Thomas in order to continue using the property as a HMO.

Lead Member for Housing, Cllr Ian Roberts, said: “The Private Sector Housing Team is in place to ensure properties that are let meet the required safety standards. The Council continues to work with landlords and agents but will work tirelessly to prosecute those landlords who let poor condition properties and fail to manage them appropriately.

“Prosecutions can include a fine of up to £5,000 per breach of the HMO Management Regulations, or for failure to comply with an Improvement Notice or an Emergency Prohibition Order, plus up to £20,000 for failure to licence a HMO. This case should act as a warning to those who are operating illegally and refuse to co-operate with the Council that we will prosecute when needed.”