A portfolio landlord responsible for 300 properties has been fined over £42,000 for serious breaches of his licence.

County Durham council took legal action against Carter Property Services in Sedgefield, owned by portfolio landlord Glyn Carter, after receiving reports of its Selective Licence not being followed.

Peterlee Magistrates Court heard that 13 conditions of the licence had been breached across eight properties in Shotton, South Hetton, Blackhall Colliery, Peterlee and Seaham.

The council claims that for one property in Shotton, it was told that an inspection had not happened in four years.

Council officials told the court that Carter had also failed to provide a valid gas safety certificate for four of the properties.

The council claims to have alerted to one property in Peterlee by paramedics who had attended the house.

They reported three adults living at the property, who had been sleeping on the floor surrounded by waste which included dead rats and mice.

They described the house as being caked in faeces and urine, with a strong smell of ammonia.

During further investigations, it came to light that the house had not been inspected in two years. The gas safety certificate for the property was almost four years overdue.

Carter Property Services was found guilty of 13 charges of breaching its Selective Licence.

The company was given a £5,000 penalty for each property, totalling £40,000. 

In addition, it was ordered to pay £500 costs and a £2,000 victim surcharge, bringing the total to £42,500.

A council spokesperson says: “This is a case in which a landlord has failed in its duty to tenants by allowing them to live in poor, unsafe conditions. 

“These properties are people’s homes, and everyone should have access to safe, quality housing.

“This case demonstrates how we will use our powers within the Selective Licensing scheme to take effective enforcement against landlords who are not maintaining their properties and putting their tenants at risk.”