MANY readers may be living in the private rented sector.

Most of those properties will be of good quality and have landlords who respect their tenants’ living conditions and rights; unfortunately, a small percentage do not.

If you are living in a property that you feel is “unsafe”, damp, has inadequate heating or you are receiving harassment from your landlord, you can report the property and landlord to the council.

Recently, City of York Council took one such landlord to court and they were issued with a fine of £10,000 for a House of Multiple Occupation that had no fire precautions and was overcrowded.

People should not live in such conditions and the council will not allow such conditions to go ignored when reported.

Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing, Cabinet member for health housing & adult social services, City of York Council.