A LANDLORD whose flats were left without proper heating and fire alarms has had a £13,000 fine reduced on appeal.

Bolton environmental health officers made repeated unsuccessful attempts to contact Philip Dean over the condition of five flats in Chorley Old Road for two years from October 2012, Bolton Crown Court heard.

Fraser Livesey, on behalf of Bolton Council, told how Dean failed to comply with an improvement notice to carry out work at the property, did not display his contact details in communal areas, fire alarms were not working, an electric fire was not maintained, the outside area was littered with glass and, despite requests, he did not supply electric certificates.

The property first came to the council’s attention when there was a fire in one of the flats and firefighters who attended found the smoke alarms were not working.

Improvements were not made even when 70-year-old Dean, who earns £18,000 gross a year from the flats, was warned that he would be prosecuted.

He pleaded guilty to the offences at Bolton Magistrates Court on August 11 last year and the following month was fined £13,000.

At an appeal at Bolton Crown Court Jonathan Lally, representing Dean, argued that the level of the fine was excessive.

He stated that Dean, who owns seven rental properties, had been ill and, with hindsight, should have delegated care of his buildings.

And he stressed that fights, damage and fires caused by tenants had resulted in many of the problems with the flats.

“No sooner had he fixed one problem caused by the tenants than there would be another one,” said Mr Lally.

“He has learned his lesson, but this is not an easy property to manage.”

Recorder Michael Murray agreed that the amount Dean, of Hill Farm, Ravensdale Road, Lostock, was fined was too much and reduced it to £7,000.

However he added, "Owning property is a privilege but it carries with it a substantial responsibility, which Mr Dean did not fulfil.

“Knowing he had a responsibility to keep this property in good order he neglected that responsibility without good cause.”