A buy-to-let landlord has been fined £5,000 for letting a property with a number of hazards that could have endangered the safety of the tenants.

Landlord Shabaz Ali Hussain, of Chorley Old Road in Bolton, was instructed to make improvements to the condition of a buy-to-let property he let out to a family and remove waste accumulated in the back yard, but he chose to ignore repeated warnings to make improvements.

Bolton Magistrates Court heard that Bolton Council officers first visited the property in December 2016 following a complaint to the Housing Standards Team, followed by a second visit six months later.

On each of the occasions the council stepped in to carry out the emergency work instead of Hussain because he had ignored a number of reminders and warnings to fulfil his legal duties.

The court found that the landlord had failed to comply with both an Abatement Notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 issued in July 2017. He had also failed to comply with a Housing Act Improvement Notice served in August the same year.

The landlord was fined £2,500 for each offence and ordered to pay a £250 victim surcharge as well as £940.81 in costs.

Cllr Nick Peel, executive cabinet member for housing at Bolton Council, commented: “Nobody should have to live in unsafe or unsuitable accommodation.

“Whenever possible, we try to work in partnership with private landlords to make sure their properties meet the required legal standards.  But when landlords refuse to co-operate, we will not hesitate to take the strongest possible action.

“This decision sends a clear message that we will not tolerate landlords who ignore their responsibilities and make their tenants’ lives a misery.”