ANOTHER York resident has condemned Yorkshire Housing Association for pulling out of a deal to buy his home at the last minute.

James Atkinson says he is considering taking legal action against the association as he forked out more than £500 for preparations to move into a new house.

The association informed him it would not be buying his home in Garfield Terrace, Leeman Road, after its consultants said it was a "high flood risk".

The Evening Press recently reported that mother-of-three Amanda Barron had been left "high and dry" by the association after it pulled out of buying her home.

She claimed she spent more than £700 in solicitor's fees and other costs as she was set to put in an offer on her "ideal" home, in nearby Westfield Place.

Mr Atkinson said: "My house is nowhere near a flood plain. I'm sure they said that as an excuse.

"It was a real bombshell when they pulled out on the verge of signing contracts.

"What has really annoyed me is that I was pressured throughout the process to make sure I was out by a certain date. It meant I was rushing around a lot and made business decisions I wouldn't normally have made."

Mr Atkinson, who intends to take the association to the small claims court to recover his costs, said the house he was set to buy had now been sold.

But Joe Bvumburai, Yorkshire Housing Association's group development officer, said Mr Atkinson's case was "exceptionally unusual".

"Our consultants informed us that Mr Atkinson's property falls within a high-risk flood area, so obviously it was not a viable option for us to buy it," he told the Evening Press.

"It's always difficult when a sale doesn't go through, but we have to consider the whole picture.

"If we don't enter into a contract then there is no grounds in which to compensate someone."

Updated: 12:21 Saturday, March 29, 2003