Tenants may not always be able to judge whether a flat or house is really safe to live in when they agree to rent it from a private landlord.

It may be impossible to tell, for example, whether the wiring is up to scratch without a thorough examination and expert knowledge, the latter being something which most of us do not possess.

And how many people are actually aware of the safety standards that such properties ought to meet?

This is why the onus has to be on landlords to make sure their buildings are fit for purpose.

And if they do not do this, and their buildings fall short, then they should find themselves in the dock.

That is what has happened in the case of one Bradford landlord who appeared before city magistrates yesterday and must now pay out more than £2,000 in fines and costs as a result.

The fact that a fire alarm in the property was described in court as “next to useless” is chilling.

It does not take much imagination to realise what devastating consequences could have resulted from such a situation.

The authorities deserve praise for bringing this prosecution, which sends out all the right signals, something which can only help to ensure standards are maintained across the city and district and that the safety of tenants is not compromised.