A HOUSING services company has been fined tens of thousands of pounds for a series of offences relating to a multiple occupation property (HMO) in Newport.

Clearsprings Ready Homes, which holds the contract for operating accommodation for asylum seekers in Wales, received fines totalling £60,586.25 this month after being convicted of a number of offences, including operating a HMO without a licence.

The fines all relate to a property on Redland Street, in the Brynglas area of the city.

Their case appeared before Newport Magistrates Court last week (Thursday, October 21), though no representatives from the business were present.

The firm, which has a registered business address in Rayleigh, Essex, faced three charges, all three of which were proved in their absence.

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What happened in court?

The court found that on January 10, 2020, Clearsprings Ready Homes had control or managed a HMO on Redland Street without a licence, as required by Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004.

For this, they were ordered to pay £20,586.25 in a fine, surcharge, and costs.

The business was also found to have failed to comply with the requirements of a housing notice, in that they failed to produce requested documents without reasonable excuse, as required under section 235 of the Housing Act 2004.

This was proved in absence, and the business was fined a further £20,000.

The third matter saw the company fail to comply with management regulations of the property.

Magistrates determined that there was a failure to ensure that firefighting equipment and fire alarms are maintained in good working order, as required by section 234 of the Housing Act 2004.

This was also proved in absence, and led to a third fine of £20,000.

Clearsprings Ready Homes has been required by the court to pay the total of £60,586.25 by November 26, 2021.

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What is a HMO?

A HMO is a house in multiple occupation.

That is to say, a single house – often a large, converted family home, which has been divided into smaller individual rooms for residents, who share communal areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Though one property, they are home to multiple households, and are managed by one person or company.

In Newport, there are a number of HMOs, which has become a popular redevelopment use for many of the city’s large, Victorian era houses.