Two private landlords have been found guilty of failing to obtain the appropriate licenses for their properties.

Jagtar and Jagdish Kandola, who own several properties in Bristol, were ordered to pay more than £38,000 in fines and costs when they were convicted in their absence of  offences under the Housing Act 2004 and the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976.

They were also found guilty of failing to comply with notices requesting them to provide documents and information to the council.

In April 2013 Bristol council declared a licensing scheme for private rented properties within parts of the Easton suburb: it requires properties that are rented by private landlords to be licensed by the authority, but this did not happen in this case. 

Elsewhere in the city, other licensing schemes are now becoming operation in the Eastville and St George suburbs. 

Landlords have until September 30 to make applications. 

The council says any landlord breaking the regulations could suffer a fine of £20,000.