A landlord has been ordered to repay over £22,000 in Housing Benefit following legal action taken by a council.
Robert Edwards, who lets a number of properties in Sefton, has been instructed to repay £22,477 in Housing Benefits that he was paid while the properties concerned were rented but not licensed.
This ruling came as a result of Sefton council’s earlier prosecution of Edwards for failing to licence privately rented properties within a designated Selective Licensing area.
In April last year, Edwards pleaded guilty at Magistrates’ Court to five offences of operating rented properties without the required licences.
He was fined a total of £13,037.86, including fines, a victim surcharge and prosecution costs.
Sefton council then applied to the First-tier Tribunal for Rent Repayment Orders in relation to four of the properties involved in the prosecution. On 3 July 2026, the Tribunal granted the applications and ordered Edwards to repay the total of £22,477.02 in Housing Benefit.
A council spokesperson says: “Our licensing schemes cover nearly 4,000 private rented properties across Sefton.
“By having them in place, we can improve housing standards, protect tenants and make sure rented homes are safe and properly managed.
“Once again, this case sends a clear message that failing to comply can have significant financial consequences.”
This article is taken from Landlord Today