A LANDLORD had to pay more than £1,200 in fines and costs after rubbish accumulated in the rear yard of a tenanted property.

The penalty brings the total cash raised from court fines for waste offences by Blackburn with Darwen Council to almost £16,000.

Magistrates ordered Elahi Properties of Billinge Avenue, Blackburn to pay £1,250, comprised of a £750 fine and £500 costs.

The prosecution related to bags of rubbish dumped on the back yard of a house in Infirmary Street in Blackburn.

The defendant was summonsed to appear in Blackburn Magistrates Court on February 2 after ignoring repeated calls from the council to take action.

The case was proven in the landlord's absence.

In the past year, 40 waste prosecutions have been brought forward by Blackburn with Darwen Council totalling nearly £16,000 in fines alone.

The fines go to the court authorities and the costs contribute towards the costs of taking the legal action.

Cllr Jim Smith, Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council’s environment boss, said: "The council won’t tolerate rubbish building up and causing issues for neighbours.

"Piles of rubbish are disgusting, the rotting waste causes bad smells and attracts vermin.

"There’s no excuse for it and it’s not fair on the people who live nearby.

"Most residents take pride in their homes and surroundings, in fact we work with an army of volunteers who take to the streets daily to help rid our borough of litter.

"We will do everything we can to help those who need it and take action against those who blatantly blight our neighbourhoods.

"If you’re a resident with waste building up on your property, contact us and ask for support, or you could see yourself facing a fine.

"If you’re a resident suffering similar problems with your neighbours, please get in touch, you can report any issues through our website.

"The council’s Environmental Waste Crime team has been working hard throughout the pandemic to make sure the borough is kept free from waste offences such as these.

"The council always tries to work with residents and landlords before proceeding with a prosecution."