Hounslow Council has written to Alan and Ann Keen asking them to take ‘urgent action’ or face their home being subject to an empty dwelling management order.

These powers allow local authorities to manage properties that would otherwise be left empty.

Mr and Mrs Keen designated the home in Brentford as their main residence, even though it has stood unoccupied for seven months. They recently hit the headlines for claiming £137, 679 for a second home.

Mrs Keen released a statement attacking Hounslow’s empty homes officer Keith Dickens for his ‘highly unusual’ behaviour in speaking to the media.

She said: ‘Many people will be wondering, like we are, whether it is normal procedure for the council to inform residents of this facility through the national and local media.’

The couple insist they are renovating the empty property.

In her statement, Mrs Keen said: ‘Like many others who have had alterations and builders in their home, we too have experienced the nightmare side of it. We had no choice but to halt work on our home because we became very concerned about the quality and standard.

‘We had an independent assessment, which took some time, and we were informed very recently that the company we had been working with had gone into liquidation.’

Hounslow Council have given the Keens a month to respond to their initial warning. In the meantime squatters have occupied the property, in protest against the expenses claims.