A landlord is facing a bill totalling more than £12,000 for managing a portfolio of rental properties across Liverpool without appropriate licenses.
Ballpark Property Limited pleaded guilty to eight offences under the Housing Act 2004 at a hearing held on Thursday, 12 June 2025, at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court.
Liverpool City Council brought the charges to court as the company had failed to obtain the appropriate property licences at eight of their properties.
Under Liverpool’s Landlord Licensing scheme – known as Selective Licensing – all privately rented properties within the designated wards must be licensed by law. Property licensing allows the Council to ensure that rented homes meet minimum safety standards.
The Council investigated Ballpark Property as the landlord had previously committed similar offences under Liverpool’s previous landlord licensing scheme, which ran from 2015 to 2020.
Despite attempts to engage with the company during the investigation, the Council did not receive an adequate response and progressed with the prosecution.
In court, the company’s solicitors stated that the eight properties are now licensed under the current scheme but accepted that they had been managed without appropriate licences for a period and had a history of this offence.
The judge noted that the previous fine of £200 per property had failed to deter the company from committing this offence again and ordered them to pay £1,000 per property. Together with costs and victim surcharge, the penalty totalled £12,606.
More information about Liverpool’s Landlord Licensing scheme can be found at https://liverpool.gov.uk/landlordlicensing.
Councillor Hetty Wood, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “We are committed to working alongside landlords to ensure rental properties in Liverpool are safe and well-managed.
“Our Landlord Licensing scheme plays a crucial role in ensuring that every rented home meets the required standards. Those that are in designated areas have a legal duty to sign up for the scheme.
“When landlords or letting agents fail to meet their legal obligations, as in this case, they should expect to face enforcement action.”
IN NUMBERS – LIVERPOOL’S LANDLORD LICENSING SCHEME (2022 onwards)
- 40,385 licences granted
- 9,024 inspections completed
- 1,029 previously unlicensed properties identified and licensed
- 295 Category 1 hazards (eg: damp and mould growth; excess cold, Excess Heat, asbestos)
- 1,740 category 2 hazards identified (eg: minor electrical faults, inadequate lighting)
- 21 Civil Penalty Notices served
- 14 criminal prosecutions