A HAMPSHIRE landlord has been fined more than £2,000 for unlawfully turning a family home into flats.

Pravin Patel was prosecuted by Southampton City Council after converting the house in Redhill into four apartments.

He was slapped with a £2,205 fine at Southampton Magistrates' Court for failing to comply with the requirements of an enforcement notice requiring him to return the property back into a family dwelling.

After two adjournments of the case Mr Patel pleaded guilty to the charge and was fined £1,350 plus costs and a victim surcharge.

The council's head of culture and planning, Mike Harris, said: “We are taking action on illegal Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and this verdict will send a clear signal to other landlords.

“The council is working hard to ensure landlords act responsibly and we remain keen to work with them to ensure rented homes are safe and well managed. We will continue to target dangerous and badly managed homes and those that have been altered, which impacts upon tenants and on local communities.”

Shared houses with three or more storeys that are occupied by five or more people must have a HMO licence from the council, which means safety and management checks are carried out.