Leicester City Council has successfully prosecuted a landlord for a series of offences relating to an unlicensed property.

Stephen Raynes was ordered to pay over £10,000 in costs and fines by Leicester Magistrates Court.

An environmental health officer visited the three-storey property after a tenant complained to the council about a damp problem in one of the bedsits.

The inspection of the building found that the fire detection and alarm system had been tampered with and was not working.

Other issues identified by the inspection included mould, a broken extractor fan, a damaged wall heater socket. The property wasn't licensed as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).

Rayns was ordered to pay £6,000 for failing the register the property as a HMO, and a further £1,000 for the faulty fire alarm system. He was fined £1000 for a further four offences.

He was also ordered to pay £1,469 prosecution costs and a £600 victim surcharge by the court.

Commercial buildings, non-domestic and multi-occupancy premises in England and Wales are already forced to undertake a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

While the overwhelming majority of premises do this, if the assessment is thought to have been carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.

Commercial buildings, non-domestic and multi-occupancy premises in England and Wales are already forced to undertake a 'suitable and sufficient' fire risk assessment carried out under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

While the overwhelming majority of premises do this, if the assessment is thought to have been carried out to an insufficient extent, the Responsible Person can face an unlimited fine or up to two years in prison.