A letting agency in Liverpool has vowed to appeal a banning order successfully sought by the city’s council after the firm was found to have been operating unlicenced HMOs.

Trophy Homes, which has an office in an eastern suburb of Liverpool from which it develops and operates rental properties in the city’s general but also student and HMO sectors, says it intends to appeal the Tribunal decision.

The council successfully applied for a banning order against the company which will remain in place for four years. As a result of the banning order, Trophy Homes will also be placed on the Database of Rogue Landlords and Property Agents, to which all housing authorities in England have access.

The order was granted by a First-tier Tribunal and prohibits Trophy from letting properties, engaging in letting agency work, engaging in property management work, or doing two or more of those things. Breaching the Banning Order is a criminal offence.

This follows the firm’s February 2023 fine of £30,000 for failing to get licences for two student HMOs three years after it was fined £45,000 for similar offences.

Appeal

But the firm says it will appeal the banning order and has released a statement saying: “It is disheartening to witness the sequence of events that have unfolded.

“The company committed minor administrative errors in less than 1.6% of managed properties, none of which involved any physical safety concerns.

“The company has previously sought to hold the council itself to account for its poor governance, and the necessary pursuit of transparency has here been met not with reflection or reform, but with retaliation.

“We view this as a clear vendetta against the company which has culminated in measures that will likely force the company into administration and the loss of eight valuable jobs.

“This outcome will not just be detrimental to our employees and their families, but it also sets a concerning precedent for the treatment of entities that dare to challenge the status quo and expose governance failures. All actions the city council have brought will be urgently appealed, but it may be too late to save the company.”

Disappointing

Louise Harford, Liverpool City Council’s Interim Director of Housing (pictured), says: “We will always work with landlords and letting agents in the city – but we will also always take action where it is needed to keep tenants safe.

“It is extremely disappointing that Trophy Homes has not taken their responsibilities as letting agents seriously and this Banning Order will give them a substantial amount of time to get their own house in order.

“The granting of this Order will also send a further signal that the council’s Private Sector Housing team will not tolerate landlords and letting agents who ignore their legal obligations.”

Pic credit: Facebook/Trophy Homes