A landlord who ignored calls for him to improve his cold, damp property has been ordered to pay almost £2,000.

Andrew Bevan, who lives in Southend on Sea, was convicted of failing to comply with an Improvement Notice for the house he let on Kara Street in Seedley, Lancashire.

Since June 2007 it has been compulsory for all landlords who operate in Seedley and Langworthy to sign up to the selective licensing scheme. The area became the first in the country to introduce the initiative, in a bid to ensure all properties are well-managed to help raise standards and reduce anti-social behaviour.

Licences are only granted if landlords provide certain information about their management arrangements, and pass a 'fit and proper person' test.

Housing inspectors from Salford City Council first visited Bevan’s property in October 2007, after being alerted by the tenant. They found cracked floor tiles in the kitchen, damp, a lack of insulation and gaps in the windows, no means of ventilation in the bathroom, and a smoke alarm that did not work.

Bevan was given two months to make improvements but failed to do so.

He was fined £525 and ordered to pay costs to the council of £1,199 when his case was heard at Salford Magistrates' Court.

Cr Peter Connor, Salford City Council's lead member for housing, said: “People who rent a property have the right to expect certain basic standards. Those landlords who neglect their duty and then fail to put improvements in place have to face the consequences.

“Our officers are committed to doing everything in their power to support tenants and professional landlords. We want people to choose Salford as a place to live and work, and we can only do that by working together to drive up standards.”