Three businesses have been left homeless amid claims the units they occupied were being unlawfully sub-let to them.

Bailiffs have changed the locks at a tattoo parlour, dance studio and beauty salon at the New Ash Green Shopping Centre near Longfield.

It is alleged the leaseholder of the three units was breaching the terms of his contract by renting them out, which he strongly disputes.

The properties are owned by LTP (New Ash) Ltd, which bought the shopping centre at auction last year. The site is run by property management firm KMP Solutions.

It served a forfeiture notice on the leaseholder, who has had the units for eight years and says he intends to issue a counter-claim.

Meanwhile, the businesses caught up in the row say they have lost their “livelihood” as they await a resolution.

Charlie Bissell, who runs tattoo parlour Bissellink, says he was at home in bed on November 5 when his partner's phone started "going crazy" as the security alarm at the studio had been set off.

When she opened up the live feed she saw a man in the shop taking pictures of the premises.

With the site just minutes from their home, Mr Bissell sprinted there in his pyjamas to find a bailiff, who explained he was there due to sub-letting issues.

Speaking to KentOnline, Mr Bissell said: “There was no warning, no nothing – they just changed the locks at five in the morning without telling us.”

A forfeiture notice was later placed on the shop’s window.

Mr Bissell, who is the sole provider for his partner Lucy Snellin and their 11-week-old newborn, says they had invested £15,000 into the business.

They have now launched a fundraiser to help them get back on their feet.

The same issue has also affected Sylvera Dance School and beauty salon Blinxx.

Danielle Elisak has been running the dance studio with her sister since 1991 and teaches hundreds of students.

She called the situation a “nightmare” after being left with nowhere to hold lessons.

A spokesman for KMP says the evictions were a result of the leaseholder not using their rented premises in accordance with their lease.

He added: “Leases are legal contracts and they must be upheld by all parties. Once we were aware of the breach, we served appropriate notices and provided ample timing for the breach to be rectified.

“All of this was done in accordance with the legal legislative process between landlord and tenant. Unfortunately, our notices went unanswered, and we were forced to progress the legal process in order to protect the legal position of the shopping centre.

“This led to the changing of locks and taking back control of the premises from the tenant.

"It seems the tenant was allowing three businesses to unlawfully operate on the premises, and so they have now sadly been locked out of their place of business.

“This is a truly unfortunate situation and one which may have been prevented had the tenant taken care to regard the notices served.

“It is possible that the three businesses may not have been aware that their use of the premises was not under lawful terms.”

But the leaseholder says the units were being rented out lawfully, describing the arrival of the bailiffs as an “absolute shock”.

Last Saturday, hundreds of people marched to the shopping centre to support the evicted businesses.

Speaking to KentOnline ahead of the protest, Ms Elisak said: "We are not going down without a fight.

“They [KMP] have underestimated New Ash Green – there is an outpouring of support.”

Cllr Laura Manston (Green), representing Ash and New Ash Green, said: “We have been supporting the businesses to find alternative new premises and trying to facilitate improved relations between tenants, the community and landlord to avoid anything like this happening again.”

Councillors have launched a petition calling on the owners to restore the shopping centre to “its former glory” which can be found here.

The complex dates back to the 1960s and has been in need of rejuvenation.

A spokesman for KMP says it is on track to make necessary improvements and maintenance and has already begun undertaking the basics which “may not necessarily be immediately recognisable to the average visitor”.

It says it has spent £200,000 on roof works and walkways which has eaten away at its funding.

It also reassured concerned locals that a planning application for new homes submitted to the council only applies to the first-floor areas which are unused non-commercial spaces.

The spokesman added: “In an effort to bring life to the shopping centre, we are looking to add additional flats to the Upper Street South and Upper Street North areas, as well as the office studios above the garages.

“This should have no direct impact on the retail operators and conversely, should only bring them more foot traffic, and less neglected areas for anti-social behaviour.”