[2024] UKUT 93 (LC)

The FTT found that the offence under section 30 of the Housing Act 2004 had been committed, because that there was a failure to comply with the Improvement Notice dated 14 May 2019 which was validly served on Mrs Tabassam. The fact that she did not know about it, because of her own failure to update her address for service at HM Land Registry and her address for council tax purposes for 58 Ollier Avenue, cannot amount to a reasonable excuse pursuant to section 30(5).

The FTT imposed a penalty of £15,000, considerably lower than the figure the respondent had arrived at; the FTT followed the respondent’s policy for the calculation of penalties but regarded Mrs Tabassam’s culpability as medium rather than high.