VIDEO: Cardiff landlord fined £8K - Are you still legally responsible if your agent gets it wrong?
What happens when a rented property has serious defects and the local authority gets involved?
Well, even if the landlord uses a managing agent - like in this recent case here in Cardiff - they don't get off scot-free.
The property in this article only came to the Council's attention after a complaint about a cockroach infestation. When officers inspected it, they found a catalogue of problems: defective fire alarms, incomplete fire doors, unsafe escape routes, penetrating damp throughout, poor electrical installations, defective windows, inadequate kitchen facilities and even unprotected gas and electricity meters.
This wasn't just a property in need of a bit of TLC. These were hazards that put tenants at risk.
The result? The landlord was prosecuted at Cardiff Magistrates' Court and ordered to pay over £8,000. The managing agent was also prosecuted and fined £41,000 after being convicted of multiple offences.
The lesson for landlords
Now, I think the key message here isn't actually about the size of the fines. It's that landlords don't escape their legal responsibilities simply because they've appointed a managing agent.
I sometimes hear landlords say, "That's what I pay my agent for."
And they're right in a way - it is what you're paying your agent for. But if they don't do the job properly, the law doesn't say, "Never mind, you've got an agent!"
Your contract with your managing agent doesn't replace your legal obligations as a landlord. It sits alongside them.
The takeaway? If you're a landlord, make sure your managing agent is genuinely doing the job you're paying them to do. Not just collecting rent, but protecting your investment, looking after your tenants and ensuring the property complies with the law.
Inspections are only valuable if they're done properly
Looking at this particular case, it's apparent that either inspections hadn't been carried out for quite some time, or they weren't being carried out properly. These weren't defects that appeared overnight, the type of issues mentioned don't suddenly materialise between visits. They develop over time and a competent inspection should identify them long before the local authority does.
At CPS Homes, we inspect every property we manage on a regular basis. But turning up is the easy part. The real value is knowing what you're looking for. Understanding what could become a legal issue, what could affect tenant safety, what maintenance should be dealt with now rather than six months later and where improvements could genuinely add value.
After every inspection, our landlords receive detailed feedback. Sometimes that's highlighting maintenance that needs attention. Other times it's pointing out improvements we've noticed, sharing positive feedback from tenants, or suggesting cost-effective upgrades that could increase the property's appeal and rental value.
Because a good managing agent shouldn't just collect the rent. They should help protect your property, your investment, your legal position, and ultimately, you as the landlord.
Like what you’ve read? Keep up with our latest landlord tips and updates by following Nik, our Director of Operations, over at The Cardiff Letting Agent on Instagram.
The information contained within this article was correct at the date of publishing and is not guaranteed to remain correct in the present day.
