A grieving son has slammed an “offensive and insulting” council letter threatening repossession of his late parents’ home.

Former councillor Mark Barnard was told by Brighton and Hove City Council it would consider “removal of ownership” of his parents’ Hove property after he struggled to sell it.

He criticised the tone of the letter, saying it was “inexcusable to make such a threat to grieving relatives”.

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Mr Barnard said: “The threat in the letter to consider a range of enforcement action, including removal of ownership, is offensive and takes no account of the grieving relative. It also smacks of a property-grabbing, insensitive council.”

Mr Barnard, who was the Conservative representative for Hangleton from 1999 to 2003, said he had been in regular contact with the council since the death of his father in 2006 and mother in 2011.

He is responsible for winding up their estate but has struggled because of the niche market for the purposebuilt ground-floor retirement apartment.

Mr Barnard and his wife, former mayor Jenny Barnard-Langston, bought the lease on the property for his elderly disabled parents. He hopes to finalise a sale in the next few weeks.

The council’s Empty Property Enforcement Group will consider enforcement action on October 8.

Mr Barnard added: “When I was housing spokesman for the opposition this is the sort of issue I would have raised.”

A council spokesperson said: “The council’s empty property team recently sent out more than 80 letters to owners of properties in the city which have been vacant for more than two years.

“The aim is to bring these properties back into use as much-needed homes, as part of the council’s well-established empty property strategy. We also have to inform owners about the serious implications of leaving properties empty long term.

“At the same time, we appreciate there are stories behind all these empty homes. The empty property team will speak with anyone needing advice to discuss the options.”