A landlord from Tooting has been fined more than £6,500 after an inspection uncovered 15 people living inside his unlicensed, three-storey flat.

Hassan Akhtar Niazi, of Vant Road, Tooting, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Housing Act at Richmond Magistrates' Court last month, following a prosecution by Wandsworth Council.

The council raided the over-populated property, in Holbeach Mews, Balham, in August last year following a tip-off from the UK Border Agency.

It appeared that at least 15 people were occupying the building at any one time, it was devoid of fire alarms or extinguishers and environmental health officers branded the flat "filthy" and "unsanitary".

During the subsequent council investigation, the owner of the flat was found to be living in Pakistan but officers established that Niazi was the responsible party, as he had been receiving rent payments.

When interviewed he gave 'no comment' answers to nearly every question relating to the property, saying only he thought there were just two or three people living there.

He was fined £3,000 for failing to license a house in multiple occupation (HMO), £500 for each of the three breaches of the Management of HMO Regulations, a £15 victim surcharge and £2,108 costs - a total of £6,623.

Under the Housing Act 2004, properties with five or more tenants, of three or more storeys and sharing amenities, are required to be licensed.