The managing agents of two Liverpool properties, which were not licensed and in breach of safety regulations, have been fined a total of £3250.

Liverpool magistrates heard that there were poor management standards – including defective fire safety precautions, a faulty fire alarm and an unsafe boundary wall - at the houses in Grant Avenue and Langton Road Wavertree.

The court heard that the student homes had not been licensed with the city council as legislation requires

Wavertree Property Link (NW) Limited of Smithdown Road admitted two offences of failing to licence the properties and 11 further breaches of the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations. The company was fined £250 for each offence and were also ordered to pay £3870 costs.

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Councillor Ann O'Byrne, cabinet member for housing and community safety, said: "This was a successful prosecution by the council's Houses in Multiple Occupation team and it shows we will pursue those landlords who do not apply for licenses.

"The legislation was introduced following recent Government research that showed people living in these types of property are16 times more likely to die or be injured in a fire than people living in a single occupancy house. In some areas in Liverpool this risk increases to 30 times and the idea behind the law is to raise standards.

"And as well as prosecuting, the city council may also apply to the Residential Property Tribunal (RPT) where housing benefit has been paid for recovery of this money for up to 12 months before the offence. In cases where housing benefit is not paid the tenants themselves may also recover rent by applying to the RPT."

Under the Housing Act 2004 houses of three storeys or more and occupied by five or more unrelated people have to be licensed through the city council.

(CD/GK)