Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy 2024
11.0 Simple cautions
11.1 The Council can consider the use of a simple caution as an alternative to a prosecution where the person who has committed an offence(s) fully accepts responsibility of such and where the circumstances suit a simple caution rather than a prosecution.
11.2 Simple Cautions will be considered where:
- The defendant is aged 18 or over; and
- the defendant has admitted their guilt; and
- the defendant agrees to be given a Simple Caution; and
- a Civil Penalty is not appropriate or cannot be applied; and
- where there is evidence of the offence, but the public interest is best served this way
11.3 Should the defendant not agree to receive a Simple Caution, they will be prosecuted.
11.4 Cautions can be mentioned to the Court when sentencing the same offender for a later offence.