First Tier Tribunal issues lifetime banning order for four landlords

Under the orders, the four will be barred for life from being landlords of private rented accommodation or acting as letting agents.

They have also been added to the national rogue landlords database.

The First Tier Tribunal handed down the decision following a virtual hearing in April this year.

The individuals came to the council's attention when the local authority's private sector housing team, led by Christopher Stopford, uncovered a rent-to-rent scheme where the offenders leased properties and illegally sublet them as Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) without licences.

The homes were in poor condition, with serious safety and maintenance issues, including a lack of fire safety measures and means of escape, inadequate maintenance of living spaces and communal areas and a failure to maintain water supply and drainage.

In addition, the properties suffered from an absence of waste disposal facilities.

The tribunal's decision comes after the four had been prosecuted in a separate case in 2024 for operating unlicensed and non-compliant Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across Northampton. 

Cllr Charlie Hastie, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: "This outcome sends a clear message that we will not tolerate landlords who put profit before people.

"We are committed to protecting tenants and ensuring that all rental properties meet the legal standards for safety and quality."

West Northamptonshire senior litigation lawyer, Susan Desfontaines, represented the council at the tribunal hearing.

Adam Carey