A landlord from Gedling has been fined almost £5,000 after admitting having too many people living in a rented property.

Matteo Mariano, aged 53, of Ranmoor Road, Gedling, plead guilty at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court to breaching a prohibition order requiring him to limit the number of occupants to two or fewer.

Officers from Nottingham City Council’s Safer Housing Team visited the one-bedroom property in Sneinton Boulevard in March and found seven people living there.

This included five children, aged between two and 16, some of whom were sleeping in a storeroom.

The Council immediately served a prohibition order requiring Mr Mariano to reduce the number of occupants to no more than two people.

Officers visited the property again in May to make sure this had been carried out. However, it was found that the same number of people were still living there from the previous visit. Mr Mariano was, therefore, in breach of the prohibition order.

Mr Mariano appeared at court on July 17 and was fined £3,000, with £1,575 of legal costs, £944.94 investigation costs and a £170 victim surcharge.

Councillor David Mellen, Leader of Nottingham City Council and Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, said: “It was a major concern for officers to find so many people cramped into a small, one-bedroom property.

“Lack of space and overcrowded conditions have been linked to a number of health problems, including psychological distress and mental disorders, especially those associated with a lack of privacy and childhood development.

“Crowded conditions are also linked with the spread of contagious illnesses and an increased risk of accidents.

“Mr Mariano paid scant regard to any of this, and clearly placed personal profit ahead of the safety and well-being of his tenants.

“The vast majority of landlords in Nottingham are law-abiding and respectful. However, people should be in no doubt that we will seek out those who put tenants at risk, and bring them before the courts.

“This is not Mr Mariano’s first offence. In 2014, the same property was inspected by the Safer Housing Team and an Emergency Prohibition Order was served because of a number of serious hazards and defects. This prohibited the property being used for living and sleeping accommodation.  

“Mr Mariano failed to comply with this after allowing a tenant to rent the home. He subsequently plead guilty to breaching the order at court.”

Police are expecting the sizzling weather in Gedling borough to bring about a rise in burglaries.

With the country potentially experiencing record-breaking temperatures tomorrow (July 25) police are reminding residents in the borough to protect themselves from opportunist thieves.

Statistics show that burglaries can increase during the summer months.

Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Broadhead, Nottinghamshire Police’s lead for burglary, said: “Burglary is usually an opportunist offence with burglars looking for the easiest way of getting into your home without being seen or disturbed.

“Many burglaries happen because a door or window has been left unlocked, which is really an open invitation for burglars. We can’t stress enough how important it is to make sure your front and back doors and windows are kept locked, even when you’re in the house or garden.”

DCI Broadhead added: “Burglary is a priority for us and we’re working hard to catch offenders and bring them to justice but we want to stop burglaries from happening in the first place.

“We want people to think about their home security before it’s too late. We don’t want anyone to fall victim to burglars.

“There are also steps people can take to remove the temptation for burglars by keeping possessions out of sight and making it seem like someone’s at home.”

Police have offered some crime prevention tips for your home:

* Make sure that all doors and windows are locked at all times.

* If you’re out all day use a timer switch to operate the lights to make it look like someone is at home. Change the times that the lights come on to simulate an occupied home. Drawing the curtains or closing blinds, preventing people from looking into your home, can also help make a difference.

* Make sure your front door is well lit. Use dusk to dawn lighting that automatically comes on as it gets dark.

* Don’t open your door unless you know who it is – use a door spy hole or door chain.

* Visible burglar alarms and carefully directed security lighting can deter burglars. Make sure alarms stop sounding after 20 minutes and lights don’t disturb your neighbours.

* Keep desirable items out of view to passers-by. Valuables should not be visible from windows and doors in your home.

* Ensure your keys are kept in a safe place out of sight and well away from your letterbox.

* Don’t leave spare keys outside or in a garage or shed.

* Consider buying a safe for personal papers, passports and small items of jewellery. This must be secured to the floor or a wall.

* Never leave garages or sheds unlocked, especially if they connect to your property.

* If you see somebody acting suspiciously report it to the police immediately by calling 101 or, in an emergency, call 999.

* For more information on how to protect your home visit https://www.nottinghamshire.police.uk/document/advice-home