A letting agency which has pleaded guilty of poorly managing a house in multiple occupation has ended up with a bill in excess of £5,000. 

A representative of County Rentals Limited – trading at the time of the offence as Valentines – has pleaded guilty on his company’s behalf for failing to implement satisfactory management standards following an inspection by officers from Wirral council on Merseyside. 

The company was ordered to pay a total of £5,161.20p for the offences.

A Wirral court has been told that during May last year housing officers visited the property which was converted into seven bedsitting rooms and found defective fire doors, blocked fire escapes, exposed live electrical wiring, plus damp and mould growth. 

“Councils have a duty to act if they are aware of hazards that could affect a tenant’s health or safety and if managers fail to respond to informal advice, enforcement action will ensue. Failure to comply with housing legislation will result in court action and potentially hefty fines” a council spokesman said after the hearing.

“The health and safety of the occupiers in properties within the private rented sector is of paramount importance” he added.