Huge fines totalling £30,000 have been imposed on a landlord and letting agent after they failed to license a property.

The Property Tribunal dismissed appeals against the fines set by the London Borough of Waltham Forest.

Daejan Properties Ltd, which was the leaseholder and landlord, and Highdorn Co Ltd, the management company, were each made to pay £15,000 despite their claim they were unaware of a local selective licensing scheme.

Both firms said they hadn’t received letters and emails informing them of the renewal of the licensing scheme in May 2020, which covered most of the borough including the property, Essex Mansions in Essex Road South, Leytonstone, East London (main picture).

They also argued they were being punished twice as both companies are part of the Freshwater Group.

Not feasible

Appeals were dismissed by the tribunal because it said it was not feasible that the companies were unaware of the scheme. It said they had 66 other properties in the area covered, and would have received letters from the council about them. The flat at Essex Mansions had also been licensed previously.

“The Tribunal find that beyond any doubt the applicants were aware of the licensing scheme and were informed about it by the respondent [Waltham Forest Council],” it said.

“The Tribunal has no evidence to suggest that A1 and A2 [Highdorn and Daejan] deliberately failed to licence this property but does find, at the least, that the failure was down to incompetence and or a lack of proper procedures in A1 and A2’s operations.”

An application from Waltham Forest Council to raise the fines was rejected by the tribunal.

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