A mother and her three children, including a baby, were forced to leave their privately rented flat last winter because the heating had failed. Following complaints from the tenant it was discovered that the landlord had repeatedly failed to get the gas boiler repaired.

The landlord, Stratos Efstratiou, of Folkestone Road, Dover, was found guilty of failing to comply with a statutory nuisance notice served by Shepway District Council requiring him to restore the heating and hot water at the flat in Clarence Street, Folkestone.

Cllr Keren Belcourt, Cabinet Member for Housing and Environmental Health, said: "Shepway District Council acted firmly in this case to restore proper living conditions for a mother and her young children. We will intervene as necessary to protect vulnerable people placed at risk in this way. "This rogue landlord's disregard for his tenant's safety and wellbeing is unacceptable and has resulted in hefty fines."

Council staff had attempted to contact the landlord to get the boiler fixed after confirming it was not working, however he did not respond to the nuisance notice so the council stepped in to carry out the work.

Efstratiou was fined £1,000 for the first offence on 14th December 2013, and £800 each for five further offences on consecutive days. He was found guilty in his absence by Canterbury magistrates and ordered to pay a total of £5,000 which included the fines, £665 costs, £356 to the council for work carried out, £250 compensation to the tenant and £120 victim surcharge.