Two Dartford landlords have been fined more than £2,000 each after they were found guilty of putting their tenants' lives at risk.

The rogue pair were summoned to appear before magistrates because of serious concerns over their three-storey property in Lowfield Street.

They were both found guilty on three offences relating to the licensing, repair and management of the property while poor fire safety measures put tenants' lives at risk.

No full fire detection system was installed with no safe means of escape if a fire broke out, and the property had a lack of fire doors and fire-fighting equipment.

Some of the breaches were under the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations, which apply to people managing homes of multiple persons.

Each landlord was fined £2,120 and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs. They are now unlikely to hold an HMO licence in the future.

Councillor Pat Coleman, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: "The council takes its responsibility to license Houses of Multiple Occupation very seriously and will look to prosecute whenever we become aware that the safety of private tenants is threatened.

"Dartford's private sector housing team worked hard over a long period of time to secure this prosecution.

"This was carried out alongside the team's role of offering support and advice to the borough's good private landlords in order to ensure that all privately rented property across Dartford is safe and secure for tenants to live in."