A Bradford woman was distressed after her mother was sent a letter saying her rent was in arrears - nearly two years after she died.

Sandra Nakonecznyi found the letter from Bradford Community Housing Trust at her mother Lena's former house on Foston Close, Fagley.

It said Lena was in arrears by £269. But she died in April 2004.

And Mrs Nakonecznyi, 46, of Eccleshill, visited the offices of Bradford Community Housing Trust to settle her mother's account shortly after her death.

Fighting tears yesterday, Mrs Nakonecznyi said: "I rang their offices to try to find out what was going on.

"I asked the lady on the phone why it had taken them so long to write this letter and explained that I had gone down when mum died and settled up the account.

"She said that her account had become backlogged and that was why we had been sent the letter and I had to pay."

Mrs Nakonecznyi tried to complain to the woman on the phone but was abruptly told that all complaints had to be made in writing.

Later BCHT telephoned to apologise but Mrs Nakonecznyi says it is too little too late.

"I am disgusted. It is two years in April since my mum died," she said. "How could they make a mistake like this?

"If I had owed the money I would have paid it."

Tim Doyle, executive director of North Bradford Community Housing trust, said: "We apologise unreservedly to the family of the late Lena Nakonecznyi for the error we have made and the distress this may have caused.

"We have carried out an urgent check of our records and unfortunately, due to an administrative error, a small number of our former tenants in the north Bradford area may have been sent rent statements by mistake.

"We apologise if you have received a statement in error. Rent statements have been delivered to every one of our tenant households in this district at the start of this week.

"We would urge anyone who feels they have been sent a rent statement in error or have a query about their statement to call their local housing office and we will look into the matter straight away."