Property firm fined for licence failings

A rogue property management company has been fined by magistrates for failing to properly licence properties across Burnley.
Burnley Magistrates' CourtBurnley Magistrates' Court
Burnley Magistrates' Court

Burnley Magistrates’ Court heard that Tahir Nawaz was the sole director of Pennine Properties and Letting Limited which managed privately rented properties in selective licensing areas.

Nawaz was fined £550 and ordered to pay £2,000 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

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The company was fined £550 and ordered to pay costs of £2,859.36 and a £20 victim surcharge.

Pennine Properties and Letting, which was based in Colne Road, Burnley, has now ceased trading.Selective licensing has been introduced into certain areas of the borough by Burnley Council to help improve the management of private rented properties and improve the surrounding area.

Magistrates were told that the prosecutions brought by the council concerned a total of 11 rented properties.

In seven cases selective licence applications were refused by the council because proposed management arrangements were unsatisfactory. In the other four cases licence applications were submitted but were incomplete. Despite attempts by the council to gather information, the company failed to provide completed forms.

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Common practices for the managing agent included letting properties in substandard conditions without gas safety certificates and without adequate smoke detection. Despite being refused the licences, the company continued to manage the tenancies.

Nawaz and the company initially denied the charges but later changed their pleas to guilty.

Coun. John Harbour, the council’s Executive member for housing and environment, said: “The council will always try to work with landlords to meet required standards but ultimately we will use selective licensing to stop the worst landlords and managing agents who refuse to improve their standards operating in Burnley.

“Tenants in privately rented houses deserve to know they are living in properties that are properly managed and licensed. The same applies to people living in the surrounding area. Selective licensing helps improve housing management standards which, in turn, help improve local neighbourhoods.”

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