Social housing residents in Falmouth face homelessness after an eviction notice was served on them.

David Jenkins, 69, has lived in his flat in Opes Court, Market Strand since 2003.

At the end of May he was sent a letter by Sanctuary Housing stating that their lease of the building was coming to an end.

The letter threatened to evict David but did not mention exactly when he would have to leave his home.

He said: "We're getting no information. All the people in this block, everybody's getting stressed out about it because nobody knows what's going to happen.

"Are we going to be evicted? What's going to happen?"

An investigation by the Packet revealed that the building was leased to Sanctuary Housing by its owner on December 24 1999 for 20 years.

Owner Terry Philp said that he will not be renewing the lease as the rent currently paid for the 12 flats is too low - a total of around £3,000 per year.

He was sympathetic to the plight of the current residents and said that Sanctuary Housing assured him they would be rehoused.

Terry added that he is hoping to come to an agreement with Cornwall Council so that the flats can remain as social housing.

But even if that were the case, he said, current residents would most likely be evicted as the council would want to move their own residents in.

Resident David worries that he will now be forced to leave his home town and move farther afield.

He said: "[Sanctuary] are saying to people 'go somewhere else'. No. This is my home. I grew up in Falmouth. I'm not going to go to Camborne or Launceston."

He went on to say: "They're making no allowances for local people at all that's lived in this town for years and years, people who need social housing and they're taking it away."

David is physically disabled and has had to give up driving. He said: "I can't pick up this place and move it all like that. that's a big stress about how all that's going to work ...

"I'm basically stuck wherever they put me."

Sanctuary Housing's operations manager Katie Poole said: "The building’s owner has served notice that the current lease will not be extended and we are required to hand back the building with all 12 flats empty.

"We completely understand that this will be an unsettling period for the residents and we have visited everyone in the block to explain the situation.

"We have already started to work with them on an individual basis to find new homes and have offered reassurance that we will offer as much support as we can to make their moves as smooth as possible.

“We are holding any suitable properties of our own nearby to offer to affected residents and we have also advised them to register with Cornwall Home Choice as this will give them a wider variety of options through all the local housing providers.

"Our Housing Officer has made direct contact with Cornwall Home Choice and other local support agencies herself to ensure they are aware of the situation and can help provide any additional support they have available.”