Unlicensed landlord fined

A Rochdale landlord has been fined almost £5,000 for failing to licence two rented houses in Spotland.

Housing officers from the council who searched the premises found that they were being let to several unrelated individuals despite the landlord not applying for multi-occupancy licences for either house.

David Buik, of 66 Littledale Street, did not attend Bury and Rochdale Magistrates Court on 22 November and magistrates found the case proved in his absence.

He was fined £4,000 (£2,000 for each house) and ordered to pay costs of £750 and a £15 victim surcharge making a total of £4,765.

Officers found that the safety of the tenants was being put at risk as there were no fire detection systems fitted and, in one of the properties, a tenant was sleeping on a mattress in the kitchen.