THE owner of a derelict house in Rishton has been ordered to pay £1,300 after refusing to carry out repairs.

Antony Ridgway Faulks, of Sands Road in the town, left the empty house, in Spring Street, in a dilapidated state even after council officers stepped in to hand him an enforcement notice.

He was found guilty in his absence at Hyndburn Magistrates’ Court of non-compliance of a notice serviced on him by the council, ordering him to repair the roof, guttering, doors, windows, rendering, and yard walls.

Pictures show the house’s windows boarded up, with rendering on the walls in a poor condition.

Faulks was fined £400 plus a victim surcharge of £40, and ordered to pay costs of £860 within 28 days.

The borough’s housing and regeneration boss, Councillor Clare Cleary, said: “Where people refuse to bring their properties into a decent state of repair we always give them plenty of chances to do so, but where they refuse to comply we will take them to court.

“Mr Faulkes bought the property in 2010 and it has been declining ever since.

“Council officers have requested repairs over a period of time but Mr Faulkes did not make the repairs so a notice under section 79 of the Building Act 1984 was served, ultimately landing him in court with hefty fines and costs.”

In December, the Lancashire Telegraph revealed how hundreds of landlords in the borough could face legal action after failing to apply for a tough new scheme aimed at tackling poor housing.

The council estimates up to 350 property owners have yet to apply for the selective licensing scheme – a national initiative to thwart rogue landlords renting out overcrowded and potentially dangerous homes.

The scheme was introduced on December 1, 2012, with 73 per cent of 1,252 landlords who applied granted a licence.

The council said it has led to more than 900 privately rented homes being brought up to the required standard.

Hyndburn’s MP, Graham Jones, for Labour, said: “One of the reasons 350 landlords have not signed up is because they are reluctant to.

“They know they have terrible properties and to meet criteria it will cost them thousands to bring the derelict properties up to a standard of repair.

“The council is determined to register every landlord and if there are some looking to avoid them, they can expect the council to take a firm approach on behalf of tenants and neighbours.”