A landlord has been fined more than £43,000 for renting unsafe and rodent-infested flats - but blamed tenants for the disrepair.

Landlords are less likely to win their appeal against an improvement notice following an Upper Tribunal ruling.

Sefton Council has threatened to get tough on private landlords if they don’t help tenants keep their rubbish under control.

The Renters’ Rights Bill won’t impact private landlords’ profits or slow rising rents, according to tenant referencing company FCC Paragon.