Tenants ordered to leave

The occupants have been in the one-bedroom property in Blackwell Hams since September after the original tenant handed his keys over to friends, rather than returning them to Westlea Housing Association when he left.

Earlier this month a judge at Trowbridge County Court told one of the occupants they had no right to stay in the property as they had no tenancy with Westlea and gave them a week to leave. He also ordered them to pay £3,000 in owed rent and court costs.

The housing association has now applied for a final warrant to evict the pair. Dave Ball, the neighbourhood services manager at Westlea said: "We told the illegal tenants to leave the premises on numerous occasions as they had no right to live there.

"They were given plenty of opportunity to find other accommodation and to leave but failed to do so which is why we had to take this action." Westlea operates a waiting list for affordable housing in the area, which is always highly sought after.

"There are 438 people on the waiting list for one bed properties in Chippenham and we will not tolerate people who take over housing when they have no right to do so," Mr Ball said.

"People who take over other people's tenancies and try to stay run the risk of being evicted and owing a debt amounting to several thousand pounds."