A property owner has been taken to court over the poor state of two fire-damaged homes.

Safir Ahmed Bhatti has been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £1,400 and told to improve the condition of the two buildings after prosecution by Medway Council.

Residents of Cromwell Terrace in Chatham had complained about the state of the houses owned by Mr Bhatti.

Medway magistrates heard they were damaged by fire, with scorched and peeling paintwork, as well as broken and boarded-up windows.

Bhatti, of Riverview Manor, Wouldham Road, Rochester, was prosecuted under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

The court was told the 58-year-old failed to comply with three informal requests to bring the properties up to an acceptable standard before being served with a legal notice.

He was fined the maximum of £1,000 together with a victim surcharge of £100 and ordered to pay Medway Council £300 in costs.

He could face further fines of up to £100 per day, should he fail to improve the properties within a reasonable time.

Cllr Peter Hicks, who is in charge of community safety and customer contact, said: "This is a victory for the residents.

"By ignoring the council and refusing to take action to improve his properties this landlord has been hit hard in the pocket."

Bhatti's wife Khalida, who is listed as co-owner of the properties, was initially facing the same charges but the case against her was dropped.