A landlord has been fined £13,000 for providing poor living conditions for his tenants.

Philip Dean, who owns five self-contained flats in a house in Chorley Old Road, Bolton, failed to ensure they were up to the required standards.

Dean, of Ravensdale Road, Lostock, was brought before Bolton magistrates after failing to improve the standards of the flats.

The 70-year-old did not attend the hearing, but was represented by a solicitor.

He pleaded guilty to seven counts of failing to comply with regulations under the Housing Act.

The landlord did not ensure his contact details were displayed in the flat and he also failed to ensure a fire alarm was working on the first floor and the ground floor, Bolton Magistrates Court was told.

He did not supply a certificate relating to the testing of electrical goods and he also failed to ensure the yard area was in good condition and clear of glass.And he did not ensure appliances for heating were maintained.

Magistrates ordered him to pay a £13,000 fine, a £120 victim surcharge and £1,443 costs.

A council spokesman said: “We are committed to cracking down on the minority of rogue landlords in Bolton who provide poor living conditions for tenants.

“Our housing standards team works hard to develop a good relationship with landlords and we made repeated attempts to work with Mr Dean to get him to bring his property up to the required standards.

“However, despite our best efforts, we were left with no choice but to prosecute as he failed to carry out the necessary work.”