The landlord of a property where tenants were living among rats and raw sewage has been slapped with a £9,000 fine.

The Edgware High Street property owner, Milegate Limited, appeared at Willesden Magistrates Court on September 25 pleading guilty to two offences.

These included ignoring council warnings and failure to remove infestation and fix leaks.

Housing enforcement officers from the council reported finding an infestation of rats, mice and cockroaches when they first inspected the property.

There was also dumped and overflowing rubbish, water leaking from the roof and a broken sewage drain.

In addition to removing infestation and undertaking works to fix drainage Milegate Limited were ordered to pay £9,000 by Harrow Council.

Councillor Varsha Parmar, portfolio holder for environment, said: “Can you imagine living every day with the stink of sewage and the skittering about of cockroaches and rats?

“And a landlord who just won’t do anything about it? It’s like something out of a Dickens novel.

“We took Milegate to court and made them pay because that’s what we do when you ignore our warnings to make your property safe for tenants.

“Bad landlords, and tenants be warned – we’ll come after you too.”