Letting agency to ‘urgently appeal’ four-year ban given by ‘vendetta driven’ council
Liverpool City Council secured the ban under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 relating to convictions from February 2023 including the failure to license two HMO properties.
A Liverpool letting agency based in a converted garage behind a cat welfare charity in the city has vowed to appeal a four-year Banning Order.
Liverpool City Council secured the ban relating to convictions from February 2023 as revealed by The Neg including the failure to license two HMO properties.
FOUR YEARS
The Banning Order was granted under the Housing and Planning Act 2016 and will remain in place for four years.
As a result of the Order, Trophy Homes will also be placed on the Database of Rogue Landlords and Property Agents, to which all housing authorities in England have access.
“It is extremely disappointing that Trophy Homes has not taken their responsibilities as letting agents seriously and this Banning Order will give them a substantial amount of time to get their own house in order,” says Louise Harford, Liverpool City Council’s Interim Director of Housing.
“The granting of this Order will also send a further signal that the council’s Private Sector Housing team will not tolerate landlords and letting agents who ignore their legal obligations.”
But Trophy Homes says it will ‘urgently appeal’ the Banning Order and claims the Council has a ‘vendetta’ against it.
In a statement reported by Local Government Lawyer the firm says: “It is disheartening to witness the sequence of events that have unfolded. The company committed minor administrative errors in less than 1.6% of managed properties, none of which involved any physical safety concerns.”
RETALIATION
It adds: “The company has previously sought to hold the council itself to account for its poor governance, and the necessary pursuit of transparency has here been met not with reflection or reform, but with retaliation.
This will likely force the company into administration and the loss of eight valuable jobs.”
“We view this as a clear vendetta against the company which has culminated in measures that will likely force the company into administration and the loss of eight valuable jobs.
“This outcome will not just be detrimental to our employees and their families, but it also sets a concerning precedent for the treatment of entities that dare to challenge the status quo and expose governance failures. All actions the city council have brought will be urgently appealed, but it may be too late to save the company.”
Trophy Homes has been contacted for further comment.
