An Okehampton man is in danger of becoming homeless in the New Year due to the ongoing housing crisis across West Devon.

Ian Morris, 69, became a victim of the housing crisis when his landlady informed him that he needed to vacate the property by the end of January when she sells the house.

But Devon is currently facing a lack of long-term rental properties as landlords turn towards short-term rental agreements for holiday homes and airbnb properties.

As a result, Mr Morris has been unable to find a suitable property to rent. He said: ‘It’s been so difficult to find another place to live. For the first time in my life I fear I might become homeless.’

As the New Year approaches, Mr Morris has turned towards the borough council and Okehampton MP Mel Stride to ask for help. Both have offered their assistance but so far no suitable property has become available and social housing is in great demand.

‘I’ve also tried social housing but the waiting list is very long and they might not be able to find me a new place to live in time.

‘I would like to be in social housing as the tenancy is more secure [from eviction] and they often allow pets,’ said Mr Morris, who owns a dog.

Many landlords will not allow pets in their properties and this has only exacerbated the problem as Mr Morris cannot afford to buy his own home.

Mr Morris is just one of the many reported to be unable to afford living in this area of the country.

A recent report presented to the council’s housing committee said: ‘The median salary in West Devon in 2020 was £27,000 and the average house price was £255,000. A typical mortgage would therefore require a deposit of £147,000, which is beyond the means of the vast majority of people to save.’

There are now calls for a taskforce to be set up to help resolve the crisis.

Cllr Barry Ratcliffe, West Devon Borough Council lead member for housing said: ‘The shortage of homes in the borough that local people can afford is putting more and more families under strain. As a council, our team is looking at all the ways we can help to ease the situation and ensure that no one finds themselves without a roof over their heads.

‘For example, we’re acutely aware that costs in the private rental market have spiralled in the last year, fuelled by many landlords switching to short-term lets. To try to address this problem, we’ve set up an ethical lettings agency – SeaMoor Lettings. We provide a management service at a low rate of 6% to local landlords. In exchange, landlords give something back to their local community by offering their properties at a lower rental rate. The management service rate includes enhanced support services for both the tenant and the landlord and means that landlords have peace of mind and can still reap the financial benefits of their investment whilst doing something positive for the community. It really is a win-win situation and I’d urge any landlords interested in doing their bit to help our communities to survive by renting with us to get in touch.

‘We also play a role in making sure more affordable homes are built in our area. When developers build new schemes, our target is for 30% of the properties to be available at a cost below market rate. Whilst new developments are not always popular with local people, in the last year 12 new affordable homes to rent or buy have been delivered in Okehampton in this way and over three years, from 2019-2022, the number of new affordable homes available across the Borough is expected to reach 92.’