Unlicensed landlord to be prosecuted

The city council has not named the individual, but said the legal action could see the defendant fined up to £20,000 and ordered to refund up to a year's rent to tenants.

The authority revealed the prosecution, set to go before the courts later this year, ahead of a major blitz of landlords in the city. Council officers will be visiting some 350 suspected houses in multiple occupation from Wednesday and gathering information from tenants.

Licences have been required since April 2006 for properties of three or more storeys that house at least five people in at least two households, but the council believes many landlords failed to heed warnings of legal action.

Cabinet member for housing Robert Troup said: "We have contacted known landlords and circulated information to the housing sector. There is really no excuse, now, for not having a licence for any house in multiple occupation."