A potential van dweller struggling to find somewhere to live says a consultation on sea front parking needs to tackle the chronic housing crisis first.

In a letter to the Packet, the working man in his 50s who wishes to remain anonymous, says he's been forced by the lack of available rented accommodation in Falmouth to look at trying buy a motorhome to live in.

The man says he has lived in Falmouth for over 25 years paying into the local economy but the breakdown in a long term relationship meant he had to leave his privately rented house and look for somewhere else to live.

He says he found a short term let with younger people who he got on well with but when a permanent room came up he claims he was discriminated against because of his age.

“I asked the tenancy agency if I could take on the available room, to which they replied no as they were ‘changing the dynamics of the house’. This was purely down to age discrimination as I had turned 50,” he said.

“Unfortunately, it’s very common to see in room-to-rent adverts that they don’t want anyone over 40!

“I challenge the committee in this consultation to tackle the chronic housing issue in Falmouth first – which will no doubt alleviate the van problem on the seafront. Why should a person be discriminated against because of their age? It’s not just students that need accommodation here.”

He claims that landlords are allowed to blatantly discriminate like this and being 50 he is seen as past an age of being able to integrate into a shared house, which is not the case at all.

“At the end of the day I am a working person needing a home regardless of my age.

"I'm not the only person of this age finding themselves in these circumstances so what does everyone else do?

“Maybe that’s how they end up living in vans, not through choice?

"Would I rather live in a house? Yes I would, absolutely."

He says he has, and continues to pay, taxes for over 30 years and claim nothing in benefits at all.

 

A consultation on overnight parking along Falmouth's seafront has gone live on Cornwall Council's website with residents invited to submit their views.

The consultation is being launched to try and tackle the problem of overnight parking along Cliff Road, Boscawen Road and Swanpool Road.

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Use Cornwall Council’s Consultation finder, an on-line facility for viewing and responding to traffic consultations. This be found at www.cornwall.gov.uk/TrafficConsult.

Once registered people will be able to submit responses to this and other current traffic consultations.

E-mail Infrastructure Design at traffic@cormacltd.co.uk, quoting the scheme name and reference, and indicating your support or objection to the proposals.

People can also respond in writing using the Consultation Response Form on the site, indicating their support or objection to the proposals. 

The consultation runs until November 30.