A landlord has been ordered to pay £10,500 after being convicted of managing rental properties without the required licence.

Carl Southall, 60, of Chester, was found guilty at Mold Magistrates’ Court of 15 offences relating to carrying out property management activities while unlicensed. The offences concerned properties in Shotton, Connah’s Quay and Queensferry and dated back to March 2025.

The court heard that Southall had collected rent from tenants at properties on Wellington Street in Shotton, High Street in Connah’s Quay and Chester Road West in Queensferry despite not holding the licence required to undertake property management activities.

Southall had initially entered guilty pleas but later withdrew them, resulting in the case proceeding to trial.

Magistrates imposed fines of £450 for each of the 15 offences, totalling £6,750. He was also ordered to pay £1,750 in prosecution costs and a victim surcharge of £2,000, taking the overall amount payable to £10,500.

The court ordered the sum to be repaid at a rate of £1,750 per month.