A landlord whose properties are managed by her husband’s letting agency has had a £70,000 fine overturned in court.

Linda Noyes, whose husband David owns HRH Estates in Kent, had been served with improvement notices for two properties in Chatham, Kent.

However, she failed to attend Medway Magistrates Court when the case was heard because of family health emergencies.

In her absence, she was found guilty of 13 counts of failing to address hazards.

She fought the decision and has now won her case at Maidstone Crown Court, which found that the council had served an invalid notice.

Mrs Noyes owns 270 properties managed by HRH Estates.

Her husband said: “Financially this has been very harrowing and it’s been a worry over our heads for months.

“We take our investments very seriously.

“We’re not happy with the way it has been handled by the council and we will be considering pursuing costs and further action.

“It has been very damaging for business and detrimental comments have been made.”

In the initial case, it was said that one property was riddled with damp and had dangerous electrics and vermin.

In the other property, there were said to be insecure windows, structural cracks and defective locks.

Mrs Noyes was fined £65,000 and ordered to pay almost £4,000 in costs.

The couple had never denied that work was needed at the properties.

Mr Noyes said that they had been unable to gain access to the properties.

He said: “The tenants complained but wouldn’t let us in to fix anything.”

He said that when they eventually got in, with Medway Council, they found up to eight people living in the houses, where his agency had only put two tenants in.