Six rogue landlords have prosecuted and ordered to pay a total of more than £32,000 in fines.

Two Leicester-based landlords were charged with failing to apply for a selective licence at a hearing at Folkestone Magistrates' Court.

Nathaniel Jalal and Milka Jalal, of Hollow Tree Road, pleaded not guilty in respect of a flat in Northdown Road, Margate, despite several requests from the council that they licence the property.

The pair were found guilty and handed fines of £6,000 and £3,000, alongside victim surcharge totalling £340 and a contribution of £896 towards TDC's prosecution costs on June 4.

Meanwhile, London based landlord Bharatkumar Patel, of Bethune Avenue, was found guilty of failing to apply for selective licences for two flats in Athelstan Road, Margate.

A £600 fine was issued at a hearing at Canterbury Magistrates' Court on June 5 as well as £120 in costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

A further three cases were brought before the Canterbury court on June 12.

Stuart Gillespie, of Pegotty Close, Essex pleaded guilty to failing to provide a valid gas safety certificate for a property in Ethelbert Terrace, Margate as required by his selective licence.

He was ordered to pay a fine of £1,000 with £120 costs and a victim surcharge of £170.

The second defendant, Stefano Draper of Northdown Way, Margate, also pleaded guilty for failing to apply for a selective licence for a property in Surrey Road, Margate.

He was fined him £2,000 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170 and contribute £120 towards the council’s costs.

Wigmore Residential Ltd, the third defendant, failed to appear before Canterbury Magistrates’ Court when faced with multiple charges in respect of a property in Fort Paragon, Margate.

The company was charged with failing to comply with the conditions of a selective licence, failing to comply with an improvement notice and failing to comply with the Houses in Multiple Occupation Management Regulations.

The Magistrates found the defendant guilty on all counts and fined Wigmore Residential Ltd a total £20,000.

The council was awarded £120 in costs and the company was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £170.

Cllr Lesley Ann Game, cabinet member for housing and safer neighbourhoods, said: "“Rogue landlords who operate unsafe and illegal properties in Thanet will not be tolerated.

"Thanet District Council has prosecuted over 50 landlords over the last few years and will continue to crack down on those who make tenants’ lives a misery.

"This should be a warning to other landlords who fail to provide safe homes for the people of Thanet and who choose to operate outside the law.”

TDC operates a selective licensing scheme in certain parts of Cliftonville.

Unless subject to exemption, all privately rented properties in the designated area must be licensed.

The scheme was introduced to help improve management standards in the private rented sector and to safeguard the health, safety and welfare of tenants.