The council's property licensing team inspected the landlord's property in June 2022 whilst investigating "potential breaches of housing legislation."

In the course of their investigation council officers served notices on the landlord using section 16 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 (requisition of information) and section 235 of the Housing Act 2004 (requirement to produce documents). However, the landlord ignored both notices and the council took the issue to Magistrates in May this year.

The landlord did not appear at the court hearing and was convicted in their absence and ordered to pay a £440 fine, £85 costs and a £176 victim surcharge.

Davina Blackburn, Strategic Lead for Regulation at Coventry Council, said "When accommodation is not being responsibly managed and regulations are breached, we will use the range of legal powers at our disposal to remedy the situation .... including the service of legal notices such as the ones used in this case."

The case underlines the importance for landlords of complying with such notices from Local Authority property licensing departments. £701 is an expensive alternative to engagement with the council where printing and posting of documentation is concerned.

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