News from 20 May 2026
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Rotherham Council prosecuted a landlord after finding exposed wiring, missing smoke alarms, fire risks, poor security, cold and pests at a rented home. The council said required repairs remained incomplete. The fine, surcharge, compensation and prosecution costs totalled £6,664.30.
Formal notices change the risk level
The council’s account makes one point especially clear. The prosecution followed a legal notice requiring remedial works. Read a formal notice carefully. It sets out action the landlord is expected to take, and failure to respond can move the situation towards enforcement.
Keep the notice and the repair arrangements together. When a council notice arrives, it should be logged with the date received, the required works, any deadlines, the person responsible for arranging each item, contractor updates, photographs, certificates and confirmation when the work is complete.
If work is delayed, contact the council and explain what is happening. They may need to communicate clearly with the council, keep evidence of attempted works, and take appropriate professional advice where the notice or required remedy is unclear. The key point is that silence, partial repair and poor records can make a bad property-condition issue harder to defend.
Licensing is part of the local picture
Rotherham Council also used the update to remind landlords about its Selective Licensing scheme for 2026 to 2031, which came into force on 15 February 2026. The council said landlords with properties in designated areas must hold a valid licence and pointed landlords towards its online licensing checker and application route.
That part of the story is specific to Rotherham, but the wider lesson applies elsewhere. Local licensing rules vary by area, and landlords should not assume that a property is outside scope because it was previously unlicensed or because another nearby property is not affected. Boundaries, dates, property types and application requirements can all matter.
Licensing also interacts with property standards. A licence application does not remove the need to deal with hazards, and a compliant repair history does not remove the need to check whether local licensing applies.
