MYSTERY surrounds the ownership of block of flats that had to be evacuated on Thursday because it had failed a fire certification.

The block was constructed by Mederco, a company that specialises in student flats, but the building’s ownership has not been revealed and therefore whoever is responsible for rectifying the faults is not known.

The apartments are believed to have been all sold to buy-to-let investors while the freehold and parking area was sold off in a separate deal.

READ MORE: Appleton Point flats in Hamm Strasse, Bradford, evacuated

Jordan Halstead, managing director JH National letting agents who manage properties in the block, said he could not disclose the identity of the building’s owners.

He said: “We are responsible for the property management of the apartments and are working hard with all parties who have a responsibility to fix the issues.”

Bradford Council today confirmed all of the 120 residents have now been re-homed.

Thirty five of the tenants made their own arrangements, but the authority had to place 37 residents in private rented accommodation on a temporary basis

Six are now living in a hotel, four have moved out permanently into private rented accommodation and the 12 University of Bradford students who lived at the apartment block have gone into their university's housing scheme.

Another five residents were accommodated by Unipol student housing.

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Dave Walton, of West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service, explained the current situation and outlined why the residents had received only a few hours' notice before they were asked to leave their accommodation.

He said: “WYFRS is pleased to note that all residents have acted promptly in respect of our findings, and we are now satisfied with the current situation with regards to occupancy of the building. We await further contact from those responsible for the building in respect of remediation works and are committed to working with them to facilitate as rapid a return to normality as possible.

“When we become aware of serious fire safety issues like this we are legally and morally obliged to act immediately which is why we were unable to give more notice to residents that they would have to move out.”

Inadequate fire alarms and structures incapable of containing fire were the two main reasons why 120 residents of a city centre apartment block were turfed out of their flats at just 15 hours’ notice.

Residents at Appleton Point, in Hamm Strasse, were given letters at 6pm on Wednesday, telling them the building had failed a fire inspection and they had to leave by 9am on Thursday.

The occupants - a mix of students, young professionals and families - were offered temporary accommodation, rendering them effectively homeless after the flats were shut down.

The £9 million development opened in 2014 with 160 rooms, and was named in honour of Bradford’s Nobel Prize-winning physicist Edward Appleton.

A University of Bradford spokesperson said it was supporting students in finding somewhere to live.

Faiz Ilyas, student affairs officers at the University of Bradford Students’ Union, invited students to visit the union’s advice centre for help with housing or financial issues.