Former agents for flats in Embassy Court, the dilapidated seafront landmark in Brighton, have been told to hand over thousands of pounds in rent.

Youngs Owen managing agents was ordered to pay flats owner Chris Camillin £20,000 in legal costs and rents from Embassy Court, Brighton, which had been collected on his behalf.

District Judge John Merrick made the ruling at Brighton County Court yesterday in the latest legal tussle over the building.

The judgment came just weeks after Mr Camillin himself was criticised by a judge following a long-running case to decide who should refurbish the eyesore.

Keith Youngs, of Youngs Owen in Western Road, Hove, told us last month his firm stopped looking after the flats because of frustration at the legal battles.

However, Mr Camillin, who owns 15 of the building's 73 flats, said he broke the deal with the agents after becoming concerned for rents they collected for him.

Mr Camillin, who lives in Australia, was not in court yesterday.

Dean Golding, representing him, said Youngs Owen owed £18,000 in rents and deposits collected from tenants and £2,000 in costs.

He said: "We received proof that the rents had been collected but never forwarded to us."

Mr Youngs said the firm had serious concerns Mr Camillin had not met his own responsibilities in looking after the flats.

He said the firm would be seeking further talks with the county court regarding the ruling.

Last month, Judge Michael Kennedy gave the go-ahead to Bluestorm, a company formed by Embassy Court residents, to assume responsibility for renovating the building.

He criticised Mr Camillin and a company called Portvale Holdings, which also owns some of the flats, for trying to block Bluestorm with legal suits.

Bluestorm is now trying to raise the estimated £4.5 million needed to refurbish the building.