Luton housing row family 'must accept home' to get help

The Sube family have been placed in temporary accommodation in Bletchley, Milton Keynes

A family of 10 have been told if they do not accept a house offered to them, the council will no longer help them.

Arnold Sube reportedly told the MK Citizen a five-bedroom property in Luton was not suitable due to small rooms and a "lack of storage space".

He told the BBC he had not refused the house, but was waiting for the council's response to some questions.

The authority said if he did not accept a formal housing offer the family would have to look in the private sector.

Mr Sube and his wife, who now have eight children, moved to Luton from France so he could study nursing at the University of Bedfordshire.

They were placed in temporary accommodation with three bedrooms by Luton Borough Council in Bletchley, Milton Keynes.

'Not greedy'

The authority said the family was asked to view three houses in Luton, all with four or five bedrooms, and after viewing one said they were all unsuitable.

Luton Borough Council said if Mr Sube turned down a formal offer of accommodation it would no longer be able to help them

It said Mr Sube would now be formally offered another four-bedroom house, which could be made into five, and if they turned that down the council would no longer be able to help them.

Councillor Tom Shaw, in charge of the housing portfolio, said: "What the law says is once a council's made an adequate offer, then if it's turned down, the council's got the right to say that you are intentionally homeless, please go and look after yourself in the private sector."

Mr Sube said he "hadn't refused the property", but was waiting to hear back from the council about its "suitability and affordability".

He said: "I want four double bedrooms, not even five, I'm not greedy at all, we just want something that can accommodate the family.

"I work, I do two jobs, I'm paying taxes, I'm contributing to the system."