Issue - decisions

Cabinet agreed to adopt the following Statement of Principles and Schedule of Penalty Charges:

Statement of Principles

·  Fires and carbon monoxide have the potential to cause serious injury and death.

·  Non-compliance with The Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015 (“the Regulations”) is a serious matter.

·  Therefore, Thanet District Council will impose penalty charges in accordance with the Regulations.

·  Penalty charges should be proportionate to the potential harm arising from non-compliance.

·  No penalty charge may exceed the statutory maximum of £5,000.

·  Penalty charges should be punitive in nature and not just cover the cost of remedial works, officer time, recovery expenses and administration.

·  All penalty charges should represent a significant financial deterrent.

·  In the interests of proportionality, the first penalty charge notice served on a landlord should be at a lower level than that for any subsequent penalty charge notice served on the same landlord.

·  In order to encourage prompt payment, the penalty charge should be subject to a 50% discount if paid within 14 days of the service of the penalty charge notice.

Schedule of Penalty Charges

·  First penalty charge notice: £2,500 (or £1,250 if paid within 14 days of the date of service of the notice).

Any subsequent penalty charge notice served on a landlord who has previously been subject to such a notice: £5,000 (or £2,500 if paid within 14 days of the date of service of the notice).