Douglas Carswell has blasted Colne Housing for acting “disgracefully” for trying to evict a Clacton couple from a two-bed flat they had lived in for several years, while caring for an elderly relative.

The Clacton MP also asked Colne Housing why it “seems to be acting like a Victorian landlord.”

The intervention follows Ian and Sheila Smith seeking support from their MP after the housing association threatened the couple with court action within weeks of the death of Ian’s mum Peggy on July 22.

The pair had cared for Peggy Smith and believed they had succession rights to the tenancy as they had lived in the Romney Close for four years. However, Colne Housing said they did not have such rights as the flat had already passed on from Ian’s late father Brian to wife Peggy.

In a letter to the Smiths, Mr Carswell said he was “very much on your side.”

He also told Colne Housing that if the couple had no succession rights, the association should help them find another property.

The MP added he had dealt with housing associations refusing to evict people “for the most appalling anti-social behaviour” yet here, Colne Housing was seeking to evict the Smiths within a few weeks of Ian’s mother dying.

Mr Carswell also said he recently wrote a paper on housing associations and while they pay their bosses well, “they do not always provide the good quality decent housing that they should.”

Colne Housing told the Gazette it “welcomes Douglas Carswell MP raising the issue and has replied to his letter clarifying the facts and how Colne has tried to support Mr and Mrs Smith.”

Michelle Lock, Head of Customer Services at Colne, said: “We wanted to give Mr and Mrs Smith as much notice as possible and wrote to them in 2013.

“Whilst we are sympathetic to their circumstances we are unable to offer them the property as they have no legal entitlement to it. We did review the decision recently but it was upheld and supported by the fact the property has two bedrooms and has been adapted. Therefore it will be allocated to someone on the Tendring District Council housing register who needs a property of that type.”

Meanwhile, the couple face a November 9 court date – Peggy Smith’s birthday- before Colchester County Court concerning their eviction.

Ian Smith said Mr Carswell had been “absolutely fantastic” in his support, as had neighbours who collected a petition demanding they stay.

“We are fighting this all the way,” Mr Smith added.