A letting firm was given seven days to pay £7,000 in fines and costs after repeatedly failing to provide information on who owned and occupied flats.

On June 5, Prime Letts, in Newport Pagnell, pleaded guilty at Northampton Magistrates Court to two offences under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 which requires them to provide information about persons interested in the land.

Cllr Karen Cooper, South Northamptonshire Council’s portfolio holder for wellbeing, said: “When this property was inspected by housing officers there was evidence that the conversion to flats was flawed and there were safety concerns which needed to be addressed.

“In order to do that legally the council needed to know who had an interest in the property.

“Enquiries by enforcement officers established that two of the flats were being let to tenants by Prime Letts on behalf of the landlord Mr Ralph Thompson.

“As Mr Thompson is also a director of Prime Letts, the council’s officers felt that Prime Letts should easily be able to provide all the essential information about these flats, and yet they consistently failed to do so, wasting considerable time in the process.

“Happily, the magistrate agreed with our case and I hope this sends a strong message to other property owners and agents: comply with the rules or we will prosecute.”

During the hearing it was learned that Prime Letts was being dissolved, prompting magistrates to demand the fines of £4,000 and £3,000 costs be paid within a week.

Yesterday, the council confirmed to EYE that the money had been paid.

According to Companies House, a compulsory strike-off action has now been discontinued.