A pair of buy-to-let landlords have been fined £30,000 after being found guilty of failing to maintain health and safety standards at a property they co-own in Coventry.

The case was brought by Coventry City Council after the local authority said that the property had deteriorated over several years to a point where it was deemed unfit for human habitation.

Inspectors found that there was no heating, no hot water, gas safety, while electrical safety checks had not been carried out.

Both the kitchen and bathroom were in significant disrepair. The tenant was living in one ground floor room as the floors of the first floor were unsafe. As a result, the landlords had to evict the tenant to carry out extensive works in order to make it suitable to be lived in and was not appealed by the landlords.

Birmingham Magistrates’ Court issued fines of £20,000 between the two landlords along with costs of £10,000, which were awarded to the council.

Magistrates found that the landlords failed to comply with a prohibition order contrary to section 32 of the Housing Act 2004. The council served a prohibition order under the Housing Act 2004 which prohibited the whole of the property being used for any purpose.

Cllr David Welsh, cabinet member for housing and communities at Coventry City Council, commented: “This is important work by the Council ’s housing enforcement team and environmental officers. We need to raise housing standards in the city and private landlords who fail to provide basic standards to tenants will be prosecuted.”