Edinburgh Council has taken an unprecedented move by refusing an
application made by a landlord for entry on the Edinburgh landlord
register. This is apparently the first time such a move has been made,
but given the previous conduct of this particular landlord it is
hardly surprising that he is not considered to be a responsible
landlord in the city.
Previous offences
The BBC reports that the landlord has previously been convicted of
several offences relating to his buy to let letting business in
Edinburgh. In 2011, he was found guilty of operating a HMO without the
correct license and fined £1,000 as a result. Later that same year, he
was fined again for making threats against some of his tenants, which
is not exactly exemplary behaviour of a model landlord. He later
appealed against the refusal of an application for an HMO license,
which was of course rejected by the sheriff.
“Private rented property is an important part of the housing market in
Edinburgh and Landlord Registration laws have an important part to
play in ensuring tenants and neighbours can live their lives safe from
crime, disorder and danger,” said the Convenor of the Regulatory
Committee, a Councillor Barrie. “This decision sends a clear message
to good landlords, tenants and their neighbours that we will take
robust action against landlords who act unlawfully.”
So if you are rogue landlord operating in Edinburgh, the message is
simple: if you act unlawfully, you will soon find yourself banned from
letting out properties in the city.
