A single mother recounted how she was forced to vacate her home after the landlord fell behind with his mortgage payments.

But within hours after she packed up her possessions and left the house, the landlord said it had come to a last-minute agreement with its lender to stop an eviction notice.

Gayle Dunleavy, 32, had earlier received a notice that repossession proceedings had started on the house in Mandale Road, Horton Bank Top, Bradford.

It was then quickly followed by an eviction notice issued on March 20, which was also sent to the landlord.

The order sought by Southern Pacific Mortgages, a subsidiary of collapsed bank Lehman Brothers, was represented by Optima Legal Services.

Mrs Dunleavy and her two children moved out of their home which they had lived in for five years yesterday and are now staying with family.

She said she was told by the landlord that they were trying to put the bailiffs on hold by making a payment.

Similar stories are beginning to emerge across the country as newbie landlords who hoped to cash in on the buy to let boom struggle to meet mortgage payments.

Instead of trying to reach an agreement with lenders who threaten to repossess, many landlords ignore the warnings resigning to the fate which awaits.

However they still collect the rental payments from tenants until the very last minute.

Tenants are advised to obtain assurances from their landlords in writing that the property in which they reside does not face repossession proceedings and that the landlord is up to date with all mortgage payments.