A family in South Oxhey are "disgusted" after being told they could not move into a new social housing property because it had a dining room.

Laurel Tarrant, her husband and three children are currently living in a one bedroom flat in Prestwick Road and the family have spent 12 weeks looking for a new three bedroom property in Oxhey or South Oxhey.

But after finding a property, the proposed move fell through due to an error by Thrive Homes.

The 23-year-old said: "We are searching for a three bedroom property. Twelve weeks ago, we were allocated our choice, but yesterday [Monday] I received a phone call from the council telling me, that because there is a dining room in the property, which, they did not realise was there, we can not have the property.

"You have to have four or more children to have a four bedroom house, which this house was classified as.

"I want to move, I know I am not going to get this property. All I have been told is ‘good luck and keep bidding’. I think it is disgusting.

"It is disgusting how they have potentially given me a property and then taken it away and I do not know how long I will be in a one bedroom property for." 

The healthcare assistant moved to the Prestwick Road property with her eldest son three years ago.

Despite being in category B on the social housing register, the family have been unable to find new accommodation in the area since the other two boys were born.

Ms Tarrant said: "I have to stay in the area, my child is in school and I cannot move him.

"Three Rivers [District Council] told me I could not re-bid for the same property but according to Thrive Homes, I can."

Mark Thomas, spokesman for Thrive Homes said: "The house in Ashridge Drive was incorrectly advertised recently as a three bedroom property on the Herts Choice Homes website. 

"It is in fact suitable for a family with a four bedroom need and so Thrive has had to withdraw the advert and re-advertise the property correctly. 

"We have apologised to the resident hoping to move in, and advised the family to place a further bid during this current round of adverts, because if there are no families exactly matching the size of property, we will go back to those in three bedroom need."

In a statement, Three Rivers District Council said: "Bedroom eligibility is detailed in para 10.14 of the Council’s Housing Allocations Policy, which is available on the Three Rivers District Council website. This is a general guide to what social landlords will accept, and any variations to these standards will be published when a property is adverted through Choice Based Lettings.

"Because of the acute shortage of four bedroom properties, applicants eligible for four-bedroom properties or larger will also be eligible to bid for large three-bedroom properties with a dining room. If a family chooses to do so, a dining room can be used as an additional bedroom."