A landlord who ran more than a dozen bedsits across three Bradford properties has been hit with a £20,000 fine by magistrates who branded the condition of his flats “absolutely disgraceful”.

Fifty-three-year-old Ahsan Khan pleaded guilty to a string of charges relating to the poor condition of the Little Horton bedsits before Bradford magistrates today.

After viewing photographs of the properties and what his tenants were subjected to, magistrates ordered him to pay the maximum fine allowed, plus an additional £4,247.57 in investigation and legal costs to Bradford Council, which brought the case.

Khan, who lives below some of the flats in Little Horton Lane, admitted to the court he had no way of paying the massive fine and pleaded to be sent to jail instead.

The court heard how he had rented out the bedsits at two properties in Little Horton Lane, and one in nearby Neal Street, since the 1970s. Miss Falciano, prosecuting, said when Council housing inspectors visited the properties in August last year they found a catalogue of poor management and maintenance including numerous breaches of fire regulations.

These related to fire doors not providing the required amount of fire resistance, an inadequate number of electrical sockets in the bedrooms which could result in the system being overloaded, stairways being obstructed by furniture, and no notices indicating what action should be taken in the event of a fire.

In addition inspectors found loose floorboards, worn-out carpets, an inadequate number of bathrooms, no handrails on the stairs, no worksurface to one of the kitchens, and communal areas left unclean.

The Neal Street property also did not have a licence from the Council to operate as a house of multiple occupancy.

She said: “The Council has a zero tolerance policy and has a duty of care to the tenants.”

Khan told the court he had borrowed £25,000 in order to carry out improvements and had already done some of the work.

“I don’t know why the Council has dragged me to court, I said I would do the repairs.”

He said he lived with his six children, ran the corner store, and did not have any income to speak of.

After the case Shonu Miah, the Council’s senior environmental health officer, said: “The Council is always keen to work with landlords to provide safe and healthy homes for tenants.

“Prosecution is considered as a last resort, but those landlords who choose not to licence their houses in multiple occupation and do not take their management responsibilities seriously need to be aware we will not hesitate to take formal action.”