A BRADFORD letting agent has been fined £10,000 after a tenant's bathroom floor was found to be in danger of collapsing.

Blackhorse Property Holdings Ltd, based at Thornton Road, was sentenced for failing to comply with a housing improvement notice, at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates’ Court last Tuesday.

The company was convicted of the offence in its absence at the same court on May 2.

When contacted by the Telegraph & Argus, a spokesperson for Blackhorse said there had been confusion over who was running the property - a rented property in Manningham - and they had been "stuck in the middle".  They said they had not experienced "issues like this on any property" in the firm's many years of business. 

Bradford Council said tenants were living in dangerous conditions that could have caused them harm, such as the hole in the bathroom floor.

(Image: Bradford Council)

They said Blackhorse was given the opportunity informally to address the works required but failed to do so, said the council.

An inspection was conducted, and a formal improvement notice was served on January 17, 2023, with a completion date set of March 3 that year.

The works scheduled in the improvement notice were not completed though, and the property had deteriorated to the point the floor was in danger of collapsing, said the council. 

A prohibition order was served on the property, as a result.

This bans the use of part or all of a property.

Blackhorse was ordered to pay £10,950 in total, which included the five-figure fine and £950 in costs to Bradford Council.

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford Council’s portfolio holder for regeneration, planning and transport said: “The council will work with and advise landlords and agents on improving rented property but will not hesitate to take enforcement action where there is non-compliance and tenants are at risk.

“The safety of people in the district is of utmost importance and landlords and agents have a duty of care to their tenants.

“This sentencing is welcome and is a message that the Council expects landlords and agents to be professional and take renting and the safety of their tenants very seriously.”

Mohammed Hussain, a property consultant at Blackhorse, told the T&A that there had been confusion over who was managing the property. 

He added: “There were three stakeholders with shared ownership in properties.

“They were not on talking terms, they wanted to buy each other out. As letting agents we were stuck in the middle.

“The majority of hiccups that occurred were down to the three persons that owned it.

“No one was willing to pay for the repairs that needed to be done.”

Mr Hussain said there was also an issue getting hold of the tenants and added: "We’ve been open many, many years and we’ve not had any issues like this on any property.”

He told the Telegraph & Argus that he knows “these things happen” and “it can come down to the landlord and the blame goes to management”.

Mr Hussain added that the company has “always gone the extra mile for our tenants and landlords”.