Plymouth City Council is aware the majority of landlords working within the Private Rented Sector wish to provide safe, affordable and compliant properties, the Council thank them for their diligence and hard work. The legislative framework continues to change and grow, for example the introduction of electrical safety standards regulations, the Council will continue to improve standards by working with landlords.
There are occasions when enforcement needs to be undertaken, most recently additional powers have been provided to enable the use of civil penalties, (typically up to £30,000) for a range of offences. Community Connections issued its first civil penalty on 5th April 2019. Since then they have issued 38 civil penalties, amounting to approx £120.000. If you receive any penalty warning the first port of call would be the Council, contact them to discuss this issue further. An appeal can also be made through the court tribunal system, a more accessible, less formal, and more affordable way than the traditional prosecution hearing.
If you have any queries, or just wish to read more, information is available on Plymouth City Councils website, search for landlords.