A New Forest housewife has failed in her bid to convince the council to buy back her unmortgagable home.

Jennifer Gregory, who has lived with her husband Ron in their Northerwood Avenue, Lyndhurst, home for 31 years, spoke before the New Forest housing committee.

The committee was due to consider a government-backed scheme to encourage local authorities to buy back flats or houses they have sold, to help owners who are experiencing difficulties.

The Gregorys bought their three-bedroom semi-detached house in 1987 under the right-to-buy scheme - but have since discovered that because of its concrete construction building societies will not give a mortgage.

Jennifer said: "We are certain the council gave us a mortgage on a non-mortgagable house. We have asked the council to make the house mortgagable.''

The Gregorys claim the council knew the house was defective, but for them it only came to light after seeing a Citizen's Advice Bureau booklet.

A total of £18,000 has been spent on the home since the Gregorys bought it, but it is still not enough to persuade building societies to give a mortgage on it.

Councillors decided not to accept the buy-back scheme and Mrs Gregory was left bitterly disappointed.

She said: "It speaks for itself that no one had anything to say.''

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