A DAWLISH father-of-three is prepared to stage a protest against Teignbridge Council after an ongoing battle to find a home for his family.

Sam Hughes, his partner and two children aged three and 12, will be homeless in just a few weeks time after his current landlord announced he is selling the property.

Appeals for help to housing officers have been fraught and all he has been offered, he says, is emergency accommodation at a hotel in Paignton.

But he’s been told that is the only option available.

Desperate Mr Hughes told this newspaper: ‘We’ve got a few weeks left in our property and we have been to Teignbridge Council but have been offered temporary accommodation in a Travelodge.

‘That’s not an option for us so we’ll have nowhere to go.

‘All I can do is to protest to the council.’

Back in April, the Gazette reported Mr Hughes’ plight and his claim there is a lack of support to families in the same situation.

He has even said he would pitch a tent next to the council headquarters in Forde House.

They have lived in their current home for eight years but after being served notice to vacate the property, Mr Hughes said there is nothing available for his family which they can afford.

He explained that he understands the Travelodge would cost £2,000 a month.

He said: ‘We don’t even see half of that in benefits and all the three bedroom houses I’ve seen cost about £1,200 a month.

‘We are just going round in circles and it’s discrimination because we don’t get enough in benefits to rent these properties so we don’t even get a viewing.’

There are no homes to rent, he said, and nothing much to help people in a similar situation.

They are being refused two bedroom properties because they are not big enough but don’t receive enough in benefits to afford a three bedroom home.

His 12 year old child attends Dawlish School and his youngest child receives one-to-one support at a Dawlish nursery for autism.

The family has roots in the town and the eldest child is very happy at school there.

A Teignbridge Council spokesperson said: ‘Unfortunately we are unable to comment on individual circumstances.

‘However, we recognise the difficulty people face in Teignbridge and nationally in finding affordable rental accommodation and are doing everything we can to address this.

‘We are also building our own council housing to help increase the stock of affordable homes for local people.

‘Where people are homeless, we try to place them within our local area wherever possible, and families that are placed in temporary accommodation outside the area are done so for the shortest time possible.

‘We are trying to work with landlords across the district to provide more affordable accommodation and would ask anyone who can offer this to contact us.’