None of the 20 former occupants of three homeless shelters have yet found themselves on the streets despite a charity closing its doors.

Tony Rogers, who was until last Friday a resident at Mary Anne Doyle House in Seymour Road, Northfleet, run by the House of Mercy, spoke of his dismay as the time ticked round to 4pm – the deadline when all the tenants had been told they must leave.

He said: “I had two meetings with Gravesham council, but they insisted I did not meet their eligibility criteria for emergency housing.

“The House of Mercy was trying to find us all private accommodation to move into, and they offered me bed and breakfast in a hotel with a very bad reputation.

“I couldn’t go there – it would have been the end of me.”

Mr Rogers is a recovering alcoholic and he is fearful of associating with people who use drinks or drugs, in case they pull him down again.

He said: “I’ve put so much into my recovery, I can’t afford to be dragged down now.”

“You may think that we’re the dregs of society, but believe me there are some much worse.”

In the end, the House Of Mercy paid for Mr Rogers to spend a week in the Travelodge Hotel in Cold Harbour Road, Northfleet.

He said: “What happens at the end of the week, I don’t know.”

He has applied to Kenward House, the charity based in Yalding which provides rehab accommodation for people experiencing alcohol and drug addictions. He said: “I'm keeping my fingers crossed they accept my application.”

The House of Mercy was a charity set up 31 years ago to help Gravesham’s homeless. It also ran hostels in Edwin Street and in Albion Road, Gravesend. But it had to close down after running out of cash.

Michael Donovan, the charity’s vice-chairman of trustees, said: “We were able to find places for all 20 of our clients.

“Ten have permanent homes. The others have been placed in temporary accommodation while work continues to find them permanent places.”

He said: “We have been approached by another charity with a similar ethos to our own, and they are considering whether and to whom they could offer places in their hostels.

“Those hostels are, however, remote from Gravesend, and some clients have already said they do not wish to leave the area.”

Cllr Jenny Wallace, Gravesham council’s cabinet member for housing services, was more specific.

She said: “Since we were made aware of plans to close the House of Mercy’s accommodation, we have been working closely with those affected to help them find alternative homes.

“Three have been housed in council-owned homes, two have been found supported accommodation, and six have been found hotel accommodation by House of Mercy which is paying for those rooms.

“Two have been staying with friends or family, one of those while they wait for a council-owned flat to be made ready for them.

“Five are currently working with our Housing Options Service and while they do not meet the threshold for emergency accommodation, we are doing all we can to support them. We will continue to monitor their situations closely’’

“One tenant chose not to take us up on our offers of help and support.”

I can’t go back – it’s full of bed bugs

She added: “When trying to source affordable homes for those who need them, we do ensure a wide variety of options are explained to them to help them make an informed choice.

“Additionally, some of the tenants required supported accommodation, the provision of which is sadly lacking here in Gravesham.

“We know the closure of the House of Mercy caused great concern and no little distress to those involved, but we have worked hard to support them in the face of the considerable challenges in sourcing suitable temporary accommodation that every council in the county is experiencing.”

Five of the tenants have been placed in the Shamrock Guest House in Milton Road, Gravesend. One, who asked not to be named, said: “My room is small, but it’s nice enough and clean.”

“We’ve been told we can stay for two weeks; I just hope we can find a permanent place before then. In the meantime, the House of Mercy is allowing us to store some of our stuff at the hostel, we had too much to bring to the hotel.”

Another tenant was found a room in private lodgings, but his experience has been less satisfactory.

After three nights, he said: “I can't go back there. It’s full of bed bugs. I couldn’t sleep – I was being bitten all night long.

“Plus the other people in the house were very noisy and were drinking all the time.”

He has asked his former keyworker at the House of Mercy to help him find somewhere else.