BEREAVED relatives have slammed a housing association after it ordered them to pay one month’s rent after the death of a tenant.

The policy of the Anchor Trust emerged after the family of great grandmother Dorothy Thompson, 74, were told to hand over £285 as four weeks’ notice for giving up the tenancy.

Bosses of the housing association, which specialises in older people’s accommodation, said it was ‘standard practice’ and in their tenancy agreements.

But Hyndburn MP Graham Jones said it was a ‘highly insensitive and outrageous’ charge – and said his research had found no other housing associations levied the charge.

A national housing association also said it was an uncommon policy.

Mrs Thompson's daughter-in-law Shirley Thompson, 45, said: "It seems that residents living in Anchor housing must consider using a crystal ball to predict their own death or they will be charged a month’s rent.”

Mrs Thompson, 74, a former mill worker, died earlier this month while living in a bungalow in Gloucester Avenue, Clayton-le-Moors.

However after informing the Anchor Trust housing group of her death her son Michael and wife Shirley were stunned to be told they had to give a month's notice - and pay the rent for those weeks.

Shirley Thompson said it was disgrace, adding: “I was amazed at the lack of sensitivity shown.

"I thought it was so cruel and was quite astonished we were asked to give notice of a sudden death.

"I could understand if we were helping her to move to another property, but not to go to her maker.

"We spent £1,500 the property making wheelchair accessible.

"In spite of this Anchor still refuse to waive a £285 charge for notice of her death. It defies belief.”

Mr Jones said he had been shocked at the incident.

He said: “In my view this is highly insensitive behaviour.

"Everyone is going through tough times but if Anchor seem to be trying to claim every penny it can whatever the circumstances then that is a very sorry situation.

“I have looked in to this and it seems there are no other housing associations in the region that would do the same thing.

“It is no wonder that the family is upset because you would not possibly think this would happen.”

Lee Black, who runs the successful Eden letting agency in Blackburn, said he would never make a similar charge.

He said: “I understand that a landlord will not want their property to lie empty without any rent coming in but a degree of sympathy and understanding needs to be shown.

“There is no wonder this has been so upsetting.”

The Prospect Housing group, East Lancashire’s biggest social landlord managing 12,000 former council homes, does not make similar charges.

A spokesman for the National Housing Federation said: “Different housing associations do have different procedures but this is not common.”

Gill Walton, regional manager for Anchor, said it was 'usual practice', adding: “We offer our sympathy to Mr and Mrs Thompson for their loss.

"If a customer should sadly die, their tenancy agreement will end one month from the date of their death.

"Any outstanding rent is usually paid by their estate."