Officers are being forced to prioritise repair requests from Bradford Council tenants as the budget runs into the red just months before a new trust takes them over.

The housing accounts must balance by the time the 27,000 properties are sold to Bradford Community Housing Trust Group in one of Britain's biggest housing transfers.

But it is believed the repairs fund could be running at a deficit as high as £1 million. Action is being taken to bring it back in line

Today Labour's shadow portfolio holder for housing, Councillor Lynne Joyce, said she was concerned the issue appeared to be on hold because the Tory portfolio holder, Councillor Kris Hopkins, was on holiday.

"I am not criticising him for having a holiday but I think there should be contingencies for dealing with this," she said. "There is at the moment deep disquiet and unhappiness among tenants."

Coun Joyce (Keighley South) said she was demanding a full report for members on which repairs were being done and the state of the budget.

Robin Hodgins, head of housing operations (public sector), said: "There is an overspend at this time and we are looking at repair jobs and prioritising them. A limited amount of small repairs might not be done."

He said piecemeal work replacing windows was also expected to end because there would be widespread window programmes after the transfer.

Mr Hodgins said the overspend was "nowhere near" the amount rumoured and it had been caused by a surge following a cutback before the end of the last financial year in March.

He said the housing accounts would balance by the time the transfer took place.

But Ray Alderman, Council convenor for the GMB, said there was concern among staff. "I also know of a number of instances where people have had difficulties getting their repairs done," he said.

At the time of transfer, the Council's housing accounts are totally closed down and Bradford Community Housing Trust Group, a non-profit making registered company, begins with a fresh slate through its own financial systems.

Tenants are expected to transfer to their new landlords on February 3, with a five-year rent guarantee and the pledge of £170 million of improvements and repairs.