A LANDLORD claims he has been left with a fire damage bill of £10,000 because his property was used as a cannabis factory.
A blaze broke out at the property in Ryde Street, off Beverley Road, on Tuesday morning.
A man was rushed to Hull Royal Infirmary, suffering from smoke inhalation. It is believed cannabis was being grown in the property.
The fire prompted Humberside Fire and Rescue Service to issue a warning that those cultivating the plants are putting the lives of their neighbours at risk, as well as their own.
Now, the landlord, who does not wish to be named, says he is assessing the damage.
He said: "An initial estimate is that the damage amounts to about £10,000.
"That's quite a basic figure and it could be more once the builder assesses it properly.
"There is fire damage to the back bedroom and smoke damage throughout the rest of the flat.
"Fortunately, the tenant in the upstairs flat was bright enough to keep all the doors closed, so that has escaped any damage at all.
"But it will be quite some time before the flat is habitable again."
The landlord said he was not surprised by what happened.
He said: "There have always been issues with this.
"There are always those who are going to grow cannabis for themselves or on a larger scale to sell.
"From time to time, you get people who behave in this way.
"As a landlord, you can't police tenants all the time.
"You can't inspect a property on a weekly basis as that would be oppressive and an invasion of privacy.
"You just have to hope they will treat the property with some degree of care."
The landlord has backed the warning from the fire service.
He said: "I would reiterate what the fire service has said.
"They are definitely putting the lives of others at risk. The situation could have been much worse than it is.
"Luckily, the alarms were fitted throughout the flat, which did their job."
Firefighters were called to the Ryde Street property just after 8am on Tuesday.
Officers found the rear bedroom of the ground-floor flat was on fire.
The rear bedroom was badly damaged by smoke and there was also fire damage.
Investigators believe the fire was caused by an electrical fault, relating to the cultivation of cannabis.
Humberside Police confirmed a man was arrested on suspicion of cannabis cultivation and released on police bail.
