A MAN from Usk has pleaded guilty to a string of housing offences in Newport.

Appearing before Gwent Magistrates Court, Robert Evans admitted to several offences, all relating to the management of a property in Newport city centre.

Evans, of Cefn Tilla Road, Usk, made an appearance before magistrates last October, when he pleaded not guilty to all three charges, before changing his plea this week.

All three charges relate to the management of a property in Redland Street, in the Crindau area of the city.

The 51-year-old admitted to controlling or managing a house in multiple occupation (HMO), without the proper licence to do so - as is required under Part 2 of the Housing Act 2004 - on January 10 2020.

He was also found to have failed to comply with the requirements of a housing notice, under section 235.

Evans was required to provide necessary documents on January 24 2020, but was found to have “without reasonable excuse failed to produce documents, namely all requested documents, as required by a notice under section 235 of the Housing Act 2004.”

The third charge saw Evans fail to comply with fire safety requirements.

On January 10 2020, he was found to have “failed to ensure that any firefighting equipment and fire alarms are maintained in good working order, contrary to section 234 of the Housing Act 2004”.

Having entered a guilty plea in respect of all three charges, Evans is set to appear before magistrates on Friday January 28, for sentencing.

He has been ordered to provide the court with the last three years’ worth of accounts and tax returns.

What is a HMO?

A HMO is a house in multiple occupation.

That is to say, a single house – often a large, converted family home, which has been divided into smaller individual rooms for residents, who share communal areas such as bathrooms and kitchens.

Though one property, they are home to multiple households, and are managed by one person or company.

In Newport, there are a number of HMOs, which has become a popular redevelopment use for many of the city’s large, Victorian era houses.