An Argus article on December 16/17 2000, stated that a tenant of Dennis Wagner, of Wilbury Avenue, Hove, was told he could not leave his wheelchair assembled in the hall.

The tenant suggested that Mr Wagner was not sympathetic to his tenant's disability.

Mr Wagner defended his position on safety and insurance grounds.

After the article was published, Mr Wagner called in Brighton and Hove City Council who confirmed the wheelchair was causing an obstruction to fire escape routes.

The council said it was prepared for the wheels of the chair to be removed and stored adjacent to a cupboard in the hall and for the frame to be placed on top of the cupboard.

The tenant was unable to do that, so the council, without reference to Mr Wagner, then agreed it could be folded and kept with its wheels removed, against a meter cupboard in the hallway, fixed to the wall with an elasticated strap.

Mr Wagner could not agree to this arrangement because he must comply with all Housing Regulations as a condition of insurance cover.

While an unfixed chair frame placed in front of the meter cupboard was acceptable, a fixed frame would, he had been told, leave him in breach of Seeboard requirements for access in the event of an emergency.

The tenant did not fix the frame to the wall but did bind the folded frame and wheels together with the elasticated strap and kept them against the meter cupboard.

This arrangement has been used since early January 2001 and is very similar to the arrangement which Mr Wagner allowed for several months prior to December, 2000 when the frame and wheels were kept by the meter cupboard but not strapped.

We are happy to make it clear that Mr Wagner's refusal to allow his tenant to keep the wheelchair fully assembled in the hallway was for the above reasons and not due to any lack of sympathy for his tenant.

We apologise to him for any wrong impression our article may have caused.