Selective licensing schemes have, in recent years, gained traction as a means to drive positive change in the private rented sector (PRS). However, the success of such schemes relies heavily on the effectiveness of their delivery.

The appeal to the Upper Tier Tribunal (UTT) was brought by Waltham Forest Council in London but it turned out that the person giving evidence as the respondent landlord wasn't who (almost) everyone thought he was.

The case marks the second time in a month that Camden Council has been successful at court in achieving fines in the multiple 10s of thousands of pounds using the mandatory HMO licensing regime.

The update is "to clarify selective licensing legislation, and requirements for applications submitted to the department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities."

The council also warned those operating private rented properties without a licence are already at risk of enforcement action since the selective licensing scheme started in September 2022.

Wolverhampton Council prosecuted the landlord under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Practices Regulations 2008.

Monsoon Properties pleaded guilty in May to breaches of the HMO management regulations 2006 and last week were ordered to pay £30,000 in fines, costs of £7,020 and a surcharge of £12,000.

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

The landlord was convicted of 8 banning order offences in August 2022 after formal enforcement action was taken by Bristol Council's private rented sector housing team.