A Lancashire landlord must pay more than £4,000 in costs and fines for letting his property in a sub-standard condition.
Council officials visited the buy to let home in Rishton after neighbours complained and they discovered broken windows, peeling paintwork and rubbish dumped in the back garden.
Landlord Graham Flegg ignored a notice to carry out remedial works to bring the property up to a decent standard so the local authority carried out the works and billed him for the costs.
Flegg was then convicted in his absence of failing to comply with a notice issued under section 215 of Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
He was fined £525 plus £15 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £100 legal costs and £3,511.68 investigation and clean up costs.
Cllr Peter Clarke, cabinet member for the environment at Hyndburn Borough Council, said: “Eyesores like this one in Rishton really bring an area down and become a magnet for fly tipping and other kinds of anti social behaviour.
“People living around there shouldn't have to put up with it and I’m glad that the court has dealt severely with this case, which should serve as a warning to others.”
Recently Brian Roberts, deputy leader of Hyndburn Borough Council, announced the government has backed a scheme to license landlords in a large part of Accrington and Church.
The initiative is being launched in the autumn and will see the authority tackle irresponsible landlords, using legislative powers to license landlords, with the power to refuse to license problem landlords.
Roberts said: "”This is good news. The scheme would make landlords more responsible as they must sign up to it and stick to certain rules and regulations about how they manage the property including amongst others, having to present valid gas safety certificates to the council on an annual basis.”
• Landlords wanting to cash in on Carlisle’s university city status have been urged to abide by the law.
The number of houses of multiple occupation (HMO) has grown in the city in recent years due to its growing student population and overseas workers.
There are currently 95 mandatory licensed HMOs within the city council boundaries and a further 350 properties fall outside the scope of licensing but must comply with management regulation.
Olwyn Luckley, the councillor responsible for community engagement, explained the new rules requiring a landlord to apply for permission for an HMO are important for tenants and landlords to remember.
She said: “There’s a variety of planning and housing laws in place to protect the safety of tenants.
“It is important that landlords follow these rules, not only will they be complying with their legal obligations but they’ll also ensure that their tenants and the buildings they live in are properly looked after.”
The HMO legislation changed in April and applies to a rented property where three or more people who are not related occupy accommodation.
Council chiefs say they have been identifying new rented properties that might fall into the new definition.
