Landlord fined again for unlicensed properties

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 8 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 8 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 8 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:- Liverpool.Gov.UK.

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.

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."

Northern expands ticket acceptance arrangement with East Midlands Railway and TransPennine Express

TRAIN operators Northern, East Midlands Railway and TransPennine Express are keeping cities across the North connected, with an agreement to automatically accept each other's tickets during times of disruption.

Since:- Sunday 22 June 2025, customers with tickets for:- Northern, East Midlands Railway or TransPennine Express trains will automatically be able to use their ticket on any of the three operators' services within 2 hours of a cancellation.

In the event of a cancellation, customers holding a valid ticket will be able to travel on any:- Northern, East Midlands Railway or TransPennine Express train between:- Nottingham, Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool, 2 hours before or after a cancelled train.

It upgrades and strengthens the existing arrangements in place since December 2024, where Northern customers have been able to use East Midlands Railway and TransPennine Express trains on Sundays in the event of cancellations.

Customers will be able to travel on any reasonable route, as long as it is displayed as an option in journey planners.

The enhanced agreement between the 3 train operators means:-

Tickets will be automatically accepted during disruption on Northern, EMR and TPE trains for journeys taking place within two hours of any cancelled train
Certainty and flexibility for customers in the event of disruption
Simpler processes and a reduced workload for customer-facing colleagues and control teams working at all three operators

The new arrangement covers both pre-planned cancellations and trains cancelled on the day due to unplanned disruption.

Tricia Williams, Managing Director for Northern, said:- "This agreement is about doing the right thing for our customers when things don't go according to plan. Sadly, things do go wrong from time to time, so we've worked closely with colleagues at East Midlands Railway and TransPennine Express to design a policy which will keep our towns and cities across the North connected in times of disruption. I'm pleased that we have been able to build upon the great work that has already taken place to date, with a simpler, easy to understand policy that makes sense for customers and our teams."

Will Rogers, Managing Director at East Midlands Railway, said:- "This agreement is a great example of train operators working together to put customers first. Disruption is never ideal, but when it does happen, passengers need clear, consistent and practical options. By strengthening this arrangement with our industry partners at Northern and TransPennine Express, we're making it easier for customers to complete their journeys with confidence."

Darren Higgins, Commercial Director at TransPennine Express said:- "We've joined forces with our partners across the network to create a plan that helps keep the North moving when it matters most. I'm proud of the collaborative effort that's gone into shaping a clear, consistent approach � one that puts customers first and gives our teams the tools they need to respond quickly during disruption."

More information about the support available for customers in the event of disruption is available on Northern's website.

Since December 2024, under the Government's public ownership programme, customers on any LNER, Northern and TransPennine Express service subject to disruption have been able to travel on any of those operators in order to complete their journey.

Northern is the second largest train operator in the UK, with 2,650 services a day to more than 500 Stations across the North of England.

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Landlord fined again for unlicensed properties

Northern expands ticket acceptance arrangement with East Midlands Railway and TransPennine Express