A LETTING agency has been ordered to pay more than £2,300 after failing to produce a tenancy agreement for a Hounslow property.
Key Property (UK) Ltd was fined £450 at Feltham Magistrates' Court for failing to produce the document for a property they managed.
The case was brought by the London Borough of Hounslow, which required the document to establish whether the property needed to be licensed as a house in multiple occupation.
The original request for the tenancy agreement was made on March 4, 2011 and required it to be produced by March 11.
The date was informally extended until March 28 at the company secretary’s request because he was going to be out of the country until March 25.
The tenancy agreement was finally produced to the council on July 18, but only after a summons had been issued and court papers had been served on the company.
Key Property (UK) was found guilty at a trial and was ordered to pay costs of £1,865 to the council, as well as the £450 fine.
Cabinet member for housing Councillor Steve Curran said: "We have a legal duty to investigate breaches of housing law, and failing to produce documents at a time and place specified that we need to carry out our investigations is a criminal offence.
"This case need not have gone to court, but the company's failure to comply with the law left us with no choice.
"We are lucky we have a positive relationship with most landlords and letting agents in the borough, who are aware of their legal responsibilities.
"I hope this case serves as a reminder to the rest that we will take whatever action necessary to fulfil our duties."
