British Legion veterans' flats rented out for £1,200 a month

Homes built to provide cheap accommodation for former servicemen are being rented out to private tenants for more than £1,000 a month, the Standard can reveal today.

The British Legion-owned homes in Richmond were built for disabled ex-servicemen or the disabled dependants of ex-servicemen who worked at the poppy factory next door.

But half are now being rented out privately for as much as £1,200 a month because the Legion claim they are surplus to requirements.

Campaigners say there are dozens of ex-servicemen sleeping rough on London's streets.

The 65 homes - a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom flats - are being leased through Battersea estate agent Fieldhouse.

Dr Hugh Milroy, chief executive of Veterans Aid, said: "I am sure there are good reasons for doing this but I must say I am surprised." Veterans Aid takes more than 2,000 calls a year from homeless ex-servicemen.

A homeless Falklands veteran said: "They were supposed to be for people like me but we can't get a look-in."

Bill Kay, general manager at the factory and British Legion spokesman, said: "There are lots of charities whose objective is to support ex-servicemen and provide accommodation.

"We have accommodation which we use to further our objectives as a charity."