A LANDLORD taken to court by Bolton Council has said she was shocked to learn she had been prosecuted.

Joanne Parker, aged 41, was fined £4,000 by Bolton magistrates after being found guilty in her absence of failing to carry out repairs at a home she rented out in Ladyshore Road, Little Lever.

She said she only learned about being prosecuted after reading the report of the court case in The Bolton News.

Ms Parker said she did not receive a letter about the court date.

She added: “The house isn’t rented out now.

“It has been empty since May last year and is up for sale.

"I have been really good with tenants and given left a bottle of wine and a card when they move in.”

Bolton Council contacted Ms Parker last year following an inspection at the home in January, 2013.

The inspectors raised concerns about several things, including electrical installations and some flooring and asked her to do carry out the work.

Officers then served her an improvement notice and prosecuted her after the work was not carried out within a given time frame.

Ms Parker says she did not complete the work as the tenant was due to move out and was going to do the work and other improvements once the home was empty.


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She added: “Landlords just don’t have any say anymore. From my point of view it’s the tenants that have the say.

"I just couldn’t believe I was brought to court. I work hard. I am shocked it has gone this far. I am trying to clear my name.

“I’d have got the work done myself once the tenant had moved out. My advice to people would be not to invest in property.”

She said some landlords rent out homes to make money but she made little profit from the rental, making little over the buy to let mortgage costs.

Ms Parker rents out three other properties.