Strangford MLA, David McNarry has claimed that the system for awarding points for Housing Executive accommodation is outdated and needs to be brought into line with modern thinking.

Mr McNarry, UUP Assembly Group spokesman for social development, made his claims in a letter to NIO Minister John Spellar. He also claimed that there is an acute lack of awareness of market rental prices by the Executive, in relation to what is offered to homeless people seeking temporary accommodation.

Mr McNarry said: “I believe the system or guide lines operated by the housing executive are heartless and shameful. I am helping a number of genuine cases who, through no fault of their own, are experiencing the trauma of being made homeless. In one case, a pensioner couple are being made homeless because their landlord is recovering the property due to financial reasons.

"People in their circumstances have no chance of being awarded the necessary points required to enable them to find alternative accommodation. The harsh options facing such people are sharing a house with friends or relations, accepting B&B accommodation in another area or find temporary private accommodation which meets the Executive’s approval.”

Mr McNarry continued: “For this couple and many more like them, a nightmare unfolds, but unless they accept one of the above options they are unable to gain the extra points likely to meet the executives criteria. The galling aspect is that when you jump on this Housing Executive merry-go-round the Executive then tell you there is a lengthy waiting list. Is it any wonder there is a lengthy waiting list when one sees the extent of unused, derelict property, going into deterioration? The whole set up is a scandal.”

Mr McNarry also drew attention to the fact that allowances for suitable private rental property were out of step with current market prices.

He said that bed and breakfast accommodation should be made available as a last resort but, in general, the practices should be outlawed and that the points system should not be used to impede people or require them to commitment to something they may later regret.

“We need to come into the real world and adjust the system to the extent that it causes no hardship to unfortunate people caught in circumstances against their wishes,” he said.

(KMcA)