A couple have been fined more than £20,000 for renting out a house in poor condition to students in Oxford.

Mohammed Anwar Nasir Mirza and his wife Shahida Sultana Mirza were fined a total of £20,315 for four breaches of the Houses in Multiple Occupation Regulations for a house they owned in Divinity Road, East Oxford.

Officers from the city council's environmental health team visited the property in December after complaints from tenants.

They found damage to the front door, numerous uneven floorboards and a general state of disrepair throughout the house, a spokesman said today.

The couple were sent two warning letters before eventually being taken to Oxford Magistrates' Court, where they failed to appear so the case was heard in their absence.

Public health team manager Ian Wright said: "Landlords ignore us at their peril. The size of the fine in this case shows how serious it can be for landlords who fail to act responsibly and keep their properties up to scratch.

"The new university year is about to start and we are already receiving calls from students who are unhappy with the houses they have rented. It is important that landlords respond promptly and carry out repairs or they will end up in court."

Anyone wishing to report problems with private landlords should call the council's environmental development department on 01865 252887.