�Two brothers whose family have lived in the same council house for 73 years are being threatened with eviction after the death of a sibling.

Brian and David Adams say that they are devastated after being told by Havering Council that they have to leave the house in London Road, Romford.

Brian said: “It is really distressing, we have lost our brother and we are being forced to leave the house that our family have lived in for donkey’s years.”

Brian, 68, and David, 58, were told by the council just days after their brother Jack’s death, aged 78 on November 1, that they have to move out of the three-bedroom property.

Brian said: “We have always paid our rent on time and Jack would just be devastated if he knew this was going to happen to us.”

The men’s parents moved into the house in the 1930s where 15 siblings grew up.

When their father Percy died in 1986, the tenancy was passed on to Jack, but Havering Council say that the tenancy can only be passed on once in the same family.

David has lived there all his life.

Brian moved out in 1966 to go to Harold Hill when he got married, but returned in 1986 after a divorce.

Jack, who moved into the house aged five, lived in the home until his death from cancer last month. Brian says that no one in the family wanted to buy the house but they never believed that they would be evicted.

He said: “I can’t imagine not living in this house.”

The brothers are appealing to the council to let them stay and have also sought help from Romford MP Andrew Rosindell.

Appealing

Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Steven Kelly, said the law does not allow the tenancy to be passed on again in the family.

He also pointed out there are a large number of families in Havering in overcrowded accommodation.

Cllr Kelly said the council would work closely with the family over the coming months to find an alternative place to live.