Issue - meetings

Tenant Fees Act 2019 (and Associated Legislation) - Financial Penalty Enforcement Policy

 

 

Meeting: 16/03/2021 - Cabinet (Item 29)

29 Tenant Fees Act 2019 (and Associated Legislation) - Financial Penalty Enforcement Policy pdf icon PDF 699 KB

Cabinet Member: Deputy Leader of the Council

Forward Plan Ref: 2021/005

Contact: Jody Kerman, Head of Trading Standards Tel: 07909 905514

 

Report by Director Community Safety & Chief Fire Officer and Assistant Director of Regulatory Services (CA 10).

 

The report seeks approval of the adoption of a regime of financial penalties for breaches of relevant legislation. Legislation governing the activities of lettings agents and other businesses in the property sector provides for financial penalties as the main formal means of dealing with non-compliance. The issuing of financial penalty notices to non-complaint traders in Oxfordshire is therefore the most appropriate response to the legislation, where informal advice has not resolved the non-compliance. National guidance would be adopted to ensure that penalties are proportionate, evidence-based and consistent. Adopting this national guidance as a local policy requires a cabinet decision.

The Cabinet is RECOMMENDED to approve a new mechanism for the Trading Standards Service to take  action against property agents for breaches of relevant housing legislation by means of civil financial penalties, as outlined in the supporting Enforcement Policy (adopted from the model implemented nationally by the National Trading Standards Estate and Lettings Agency Team).

 

 

 

Decision:

Recommendation agreed.

Minutes:

Cabinet had before them a  report seeking  approval of the adoption of a regime of financial penalties for breaches of relevant legislation governing the activities of lettings agents and other businesses in the property sector.

 

Councillor Judith Heathcoat, Deputy Leader of the Council introduced the contents of the report and moved the recommendations.

 

RESOLVED:           to approve a new mechanism for the Trading Standards Service to take  action against property agents for breaches of relevant housing legislation by means of civil financial penalties, as outlined in the supporting Enforcement Policy (adopted from the model implemented nationally by the National Trading Standards Estate and Lettings Agency Team).