NURSES are being made to pay higher rents on their hospital homes in an effort to squeeze them out, a resident has claimed.

Christine Thomas, a former nurse at Calderstones Hospital, Whalley, claims that the NHS Trust wants its "cheaper" renters out so that it can either sell the homes at increased prices or demolish the lot and sell the land for building new homes.

But hospital chiefs say the rents have only been increased to bring them into line with public sector and local authority rents to make the homes a viable asset for the trust.

Christine said: "I have wanted to buy my home for several years now but I my offers have been turned down.

"I have calculated that the Calderstones trust would make approximately £1m more profit if they sold the houses on the open market than they would if they sold them at discount to tenants such as me.

"Big rent rises have been forced on us and I can't help but think we are being pushed out so that the houses will be empty and ready for re-sale. "Since 1991 my rent has increased from £117 a month to £254 and now from January 1 it will go up to £325."

"I have been told time and again that the houses cannot be sold to tenants yet because they are needed for staff, and yet several of the homes on both Bridge Terrace and Queen Mary Terrace are already empty."

Russ Pearce, chief executive designate of the Calderstones NHS Trust, said: "These rent increases were agreed by the board two years ago and have been phased in to help our longstanding tenants.

"We are not trying to force people out but simply trying to cover our costs.

"Nobody is ever happy about rent increases but we have only brought ourselves into line with other organisations."

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