A landlord has admitted letting sub-standard HMOs to 30 people without being registered with his local authority.

Plymouth landlord John Mayer pleaded guilty to four cases of failing to apply for a licence to operate a house in multiple occupation as required by the Housing Act 2004. He also failed to comply with improvement notices under the Housing Act 2004, meaning around 12 tenants did not have adequate heating in their accommodation.

No details have so far been released of the penalties imposed on Mayer.

Plymouth council has in recent months stepped up its campaign against rogue landlords.

It has published a Plan for Private Rented Housing in a bid to achieve what it calls an increase in the standards of rented housing in the city and earlier this year it signed a Charter for Private Rented Housing with landlords from across the south west of England.

The charter includes a 12 point plan “to lay the foundations for better quality rented homes” which includes better training for landlords, raising the profile of the best landlords and letting agents who improve Plymouth’s reputation and that of the private rented sector, and taking enforcement to protect tenants against rogue landlords.