First landlord fined under Rent Smart Wales regulations

Welsh landlords will by now be very familiar with the Rent Smart Wales legislation, with one landlord feeling the full force of the new regulations.

Welsh landlords will by now be very familiar with the Rent Smart Wales legislation, which was introduced back in October 2016 in a bid to increase the standard of the private lettings industry in Wales.

Despite the scheme being fully integrated for well over six months, we are only now seeing the first fines coming through for a flaunting of the rules, with a Cwmbran-based landlord feeling the full force of the law.

Robert Grovell received the fine at Newport Magistrates Court, where he faced trial for not having a landlord licence, failing to licence a shared house and breaking fire safety regulations. He received a fine of £4,400, and was ordered to pay £1,000 in costs.

The issues were discovered on a routine inspection of the HMO by Newport council. Since the inspection, the landlord has completed all of the training required to comply with Rent Smart Wales, and has applied to gain his licence.

This was a serious breach where residents were put at risk because of the landlord's failure to comply with essential regulations. Newport council will continue to be vigilant in ensuring landlords and agents stick to the rules covering their rental properties.

Newport Council cabinet member, Ray Truman

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