A HOUSE-HUNTER has complained to the Commission for Racial Equality against a Keighley estate agent.

The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) is currently investigating a complaint from Helal Ahmed about The Green Partnership.

Mr Ahmed claims that he was treated differently to a white colleague by the estate agency when he tried to arrange a viewing for a Long Lee property.

He said: "The property first came on the market at the beginning of July and I contacted the estate agency the day after it appeared to say I was interested and to set up a time to look at the house.

"But they said they were unable to get in touch with the vendor and said that someone would ring me back in a week.

"I rang again when I hadn't heard anything from them but they said they still hadn't been able to get through to the owner.

"I visited the owner at his house to let him know that the estate agents had a problem getting hold of him, but he said that there shouldn't be any problems contacting him on the numbers he had given them."

Mr Ahmed, who works at The Keyhouse Project, was interested in the property as a new home for his family.

He added: "I finally rang on the Tuesday (July 23) and they said that the owner was away and that they didn't have the key to the house yet, but that they'd call me back.

"By this time I felt it was personal and my colleague David Price then called them and said he was interested in the house.

"They immediately said he could look at the house on Thursday, Friday or Saturday.

"When I rang them again they said there was a problem with the key." He added: "I am so angry about it and can only think it is because the area is a white middle class one."

His colleague David Price said: "I was aware of the problems Helal had been having so couldn't believe it when I called up and they were so co-operative and helpful."

Andrew Earnshaw, from The Green Partnership, said: "We put this property on the market for a very busy business man. It has been very difficult to get in contact with him to arrange a viewing. There were four people interested in the property and we haven't been able to arrange for any of them to look round.

"The owner said a couple of people had even turned up at the house. We were able to make an arrangement to get the keys for viewing from the owner on the Tuesday (July 23) but nothing was confirmed.

"Mr Ahmed's colleague was given a viewing appointment when we knew we would have the keys and when I spoke to Mr Ahmed afterwards I told him we would soon be in a position to show him round. Other people have been in the same position as him -- it's certainly not a racial issue and now we have sorted out the keys he is more than welcome to look round."