AN Eastleigh couple and their baby daughter are being moved into bed and breakfast accommodation - even though there are two empty flats in the block where they live.

Ian and Saiphin Budd and 15-month-old Joanne are the victims of a tenancy agreement which bars children from living in Godfrey Olson House, Yonge Close.

The family say they would be quite happy to stay put while more suitable accommodation becomes available. But landlord Swaythling Housing Society is standing firm, saying viewings are already under way for the empty flats which they expect to fill within three weeks.

The housing dilemma comes at a time when Eastleigh's bed and breakfast bill has rocketed.

The Daily Echo reported last month how the council had used up its emergency housing budget in less than six months.

Mr Budd said: "It seems to me to be bad business practice. If I were a landlord I'd want my flats filled. I wouldn't kick out a tenant just because they've got a 15-month-old daughter.

"I can't believe they're being so heavy- handed about it. I'm scared of going in a bed and breakfast. It's going to be an absolute nightmare.

"My wife is devastated. She keeps asking 'why are they doing this? We've done nothing wrong' and I can't answer her because I don't know.

"It doesn't make any sense."

Neighbour Molly Hedges, 67, was so upset to see the family evicted she wrote to the County Court to defend them.

Mrs Hedges said Mr Budd was always happy to drop whatever he was doing to help her and her disabled husband Robert.

She said: "I just can't believe in this day and age something like this can happen to such good people. It's positively disgusting."

Joanna Bound, director of housing and neighbourhoods for Swaythling Housing Society, explained the property was rented as a private flat.

She said: "Due to the small size of his flat, its rental market is single, professional people and Mr Budd was aware that it was not intended to be family accommodation.

"Mr Budd has had 18 months to find alternative accommodation. As he has been unable to find alternative accommodation in the private property market, Eastleigh Council, who process all applications for social housing, have offered him and his family temporary accommodation.

"We're carrying out viewings on the empty flats in Godfrey Olson House at the moment so they should be filled straight away."

A spokesman for Eastleigh council said: "Mr Budd has now been accepted as homeless. He could be in temporary accommodation for up to 12 months before going into permanent accommodation.

"At the present time there are over 4,000 applicants on the Home Choice Register and there's a serious shortage of affordable housing in the borough.

"The only way forward is for more permanent housing to be provided."