WEST Mercia Homes says it will be working with a group of its tenants to find them a new home as a long-term lease agreement with a private landlord comes to an end.

Nine people, including some with learning disabilities, currently live in the homes on School Lane in Leominster.

West Mercia Homes acquired the properties more than 20 years ago and the housing group has reassured the nine affected that they will not be forced to leave until an appropriate alternative has been found for them.

A spokesperson for the housing group said: “As a social landlord we have a duty to make sure the housing that we manage is financially viable and that we are using our resource responsibly for the benefit of all of the people who need our homes.

“Unfortunately on this occasion it was clear when we came to renegotiate the lease that it would be unfeasible for us to renew it.

“We understand this is unsettling for the nine residents affected and we are working very closely with them and doing everything we can to find them new housing as soon as possible."

A spokesperson for the private landlord said: “As landlord to the property I am very happy for West Mercia to remain and am happy to continue negotiations and to discuss how the residents can remain until a long term solution is made.”

· An earlier story published at herefordtimes.com wrongly stated that the landlord had given the tenants two months to leave their homes. We are happy to point out that the landlord did not give the tenants any such notice.