A LETTINGS agent has denied withholding more than £150,000 in deposits and rent from tenants and landlords.

Zulfiqar Hussain, who ran Charles Lawson (Lettings) Limited, appeared in court yesterday to enter pleas to 18 charges.

The 43-year-old is charged with seven counts of engaging in unfair commercial practice and eight counts of fraud regarding Oxford properties in East Avenue, St Thomas Street, Ridgefield Road and Hurst Street, as well as Jasmine Way in Carterton and Quakers Court in Abingdon.

Hussain, who is being prosecuted by Oxfordshire County Council’s Trading Standards department, is also charged with transferring approximately £157,000 of criminal property and using £1,457.36 of criminal property.

It is alleged Hussain, who wore jeans, a grey shirt and a black jacket for the hearing, failed to ring-fence tenants’ deposits, which has been required since 2004, and did not pass on rent to landlords.

He denied every charge, which relate to a period between December 2007 and October 2009.

Hussain, of Kenilworth Avenue, East Oxford, was granted bail and will stand trial on September 5.

A pre-trial review is set to be heard on July 22.