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

Blackhorse Property Holdings Ltd, of Thornton Road, was convicted at Bradford and Keighley Magistrates Court last Tuesday for failing to comply with a notice to improve housing.

The company was convicted in absentia of this offence before the same court on 2 May.

When contacted by the Telegraph & Argus, a Blackhorse spokesperson said there had been confusion over who was managing the property – a rental property in Manningham – and they had been “caught between two stools”. They said they had not experienced “such problems at any other property” in their many years of business.

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

(Image: Bradford City Council)

They said Blackhorse had been informally given the opportunity to undertake the required work but had not done so, the council said.

An inspection was carried out and a formal improvement notice was served on 17 January 2023, with a completion date set for 3 March of the same year.

However, the work envisaged in the improvement notice has not been completed and the condition of the building has deteriorated to such an extent that there is a risk of the floor collapsing, the city council said.

As a result, a ban on entry to the property was imposed.

This prohibits the use of part or all of the property.

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

Councillor Alex Ross-Shaw, Bradford City Council’s Head of Urban Renewal, Planning and Transport, said: “The council will work with landlords and agents to advise them on improving rental properties, but will not hesitate to take enforcement action where breaches occur and tenants are at risk.”

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

“This ruling is welcome and a sign that the council expects professionalism from landlords and agents and that they take lettings and the safety of their tenants very seriously.”

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

He added: “There were three shareholders with shared ownership of the properties.

“They couldn’t talk to each other, they wanted to pay each other off. As letting agents, we were caught in the middle of it.

“Most of the problems that occurred were due to the three owners.

“Nobody was willing to pay for the necessary repairs.”

Mr Hussain said reaching tenants had also been a problem, adding: “We have been open for many, many years and have never had problems like this on any property.”

He told the Telegraph & Argus he knew “these things happen” and that “the blame can fall on the landlord and the property manager gets blamed”.

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