Silver Street firm failed to obtain licences for three residential properties found to have fire safety issues and damp

Highbury Corner Magistrates Court (credit Philafrenzy/Wikimedia Commons)

An Edmonton property agency has been prosecuted and ordered to pay £35,000 for falling foul of local property licensing rules.

Green House Estate Agents Ltd, of Silver Street, failed to obtain licences for three residential properties in Upper Edmonton, which is an covered by Enfield Council’s selective licensing scheme.

All three properties were required to be licensed as they fell within one of the 14 areas of Enfield where privately-rented residential properties occupied by one or two persons, or one-family households, are regulated by the council under the Housing Act 2004.

As part of Enfield Council’s additional and selective licensing and enforcement work, officers investigated Green House Estate Agents Ltd for letting three properties without a licence. The officers discovered disrepair at the properties, including fire safety deficiencies, damp and a general lack of management.

Green House Estate Agents Ltd were convicted at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court in November for managing and having control of the three private rented properties without a licence. Sentencing took place at the same court earlier this month, when in addition to the £35,000 fine the firm was ordered to pay costs totalling £2,348 plus a surcharge of £2,000 for each prosecution.

Susan Erbil, the council’s cabinet member for licensing, planning and regulatory services, said: “There are many law-abiding landlords in the private rented sector in the borough, and the council is here to help and advise them to ensure their properties reach the required standards and are properly licensed.

“Unfortunately, there are also landlords who break the law by not obtaining the legally-required licence to let their properties. The council’s successful prosecution of Green House Estates should be wake up call to all unscrupulous landlords who do not comply with the law.”

For further information on the council’s selective licensing scheme and to apply for a licence:
Visit enfield.gov.uk/services/housing/selective-licensing-scheme

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.