Living next to asylum seeker HMO, ask me anything

You'll be glad to hear that they are VERY proficient in languages! In fact English knowledge is the weak point.
I've spoken to some of the men from both houses and many of them speak languages from the countries they've been in before.
I've learned a lot about how they move around Europe. The favourite countries are Germany (many speak German and they even have German language set on their phones), Denmark and England. Denmark is falling out of favour due to political changes, so it's Germany and England left. They really dislike France and Paris (yeah, I get that one). 😅

I presume your “friend” didn’t buy this house to rent to refugees next door or even on the same street as her own home? Just inflicted it on another (no doubt poorer) street instead while raking in the cash.

You said you'd be happy if 'a few' asylum seekers were housed in your nice middle class area. But places like Bolton, Burnley Birmingham and Glasgow are dealing with a lot more than 'a few' and poorer people in poorer neighbourhoods are less insulated from the problems all this brings.

I understand that it's well-meaning but it can come over as quite complacent.

If there is a refugee action charity in your area, it would probably be worth speaking to them and asking if they have any interpreters or people from their community who could talk to them about the issues you are feeling.

A friend of mine who currently rents to refugees did have to get some help with explaining to tenants about importance of certain things like smoking indoors and a few cultural differences, and luckily my friends husband who is native Arabic speaker and been here decades was able to explain to them better and the problem resolved.

I think you get similar issues with a lot of HMOs whether that's students or refugees or anyone tbh.

I am fine with asylum seekers. I don’t feel a compulsion to live near them, any more than I feel a compulsion to live near football players, musicians, doctors, chefs or Swedish people.

I haven’t offered members of any of these groups a free room either.

The use of the term 'virtue signalling' related to the claim that you would like asylum seekers in the area in which you live, yet have done nothing to facilitate that.

Unfortunately, that's incorrect. Unsuccessful claims are frequently reversed at the time of a second decision due to errors made at the time of the initial decision.

No, the proportion of claims that are successful is also falling sharply. AI has pulled data from HMG for me showing that in the year ending March 2026 around 40% f claims were successful (Labour government).

The peak year for successful claims was 2022 when 77-79% of claims were successful (Tory government).

So Labour has cut the rate of successful claims nearly in half, from the Tory peak.

Unfortunately, that's incorrect. Unsuccessful claims are frequently reversed at the time of a second decision due to errors made at the time of the initial decision.

No, the proportion of claims that are successful is also falling sharply. AI has pulled data from HMG for me showing that in the year ending March 2026 around 40% f claims were successful (Labour government).

The peak year for successful claims was 2022 when 77-79% of claims were successful (Tory government).

So Labour has cut the rate of successful claims nearly in half, from the Tory peak.

The use of the term 'virtue signalling' related to the claim that you would like asylum seekers in the area in which you live, yet have done nothing to facilitate that.

The backlog has been 'cleared' by failing to process a substantial number of applications correctly. This has been highlighted in the UN report that highlighted the alarming failings of the UK asylum system under Labour.

"The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) published a critical audit revealing a rapid, record-breaking decline in the quality standards of asylum decision-making."

Here's a lay summary of the issues
www.refugeecouncil.org.uk/stay-informed/articles/home-office-asylum-decisions-seeing-significant-decline-in-quality/

No, the proportion of claims that are successful is also falling sharply. AI has pulled data from HMG for me showing that in the year ending March 2026 around 40% f claims were successful (Labour government).

The peak year for successful claims was 2022 when 77-79% of claims were successful (Tory government).

So Labour has cut the rate of successful claims nearly in half, from the Tory peak.

Yes, the backlog is falling, probably because they're rubber stamping them. How do you speed up decision making? You allow, allow, allow. I used to work in something similar and that's how it works.

However this is not what the public wants. And clearing the backlog like this is actually another pull factor.

Yes, the backlog is falling, probably because they're rubber stamping them. How do you speed up decision making? You allow, allow, allow. I used to work in something similar and that's how it works.

However this is not what the public wants. And clearing the backlog like this is actually another pull factor.

A response to a deliberately provocative comment is not virtue signalling.

How many men granted asylum for being gay later apply to bring their wife and kids? That would be an interesting freedom of information statistic.

The peak backlog on deciding asylum claims was 134,000. This was reached in June 2023. The backlog is now under 40,000 and falling.

Not really - merely spin. Numbers soared under the Labour government and remain far higher than in 2023. Essentially, the government is now trying to fix a problem they created.

Ah, the usual virtual signalling from the average middle - so rife on MN and so predictable.

But nevertheless more asylum seekers being returned than last year (39,000). So an improving picture.

I am comfortable with the level of charitable support DH and I provide, thanks very much. I would show the same level of welcome to asylum seekers as to anyone else in my ‘naice’ village, and stand up for them in the event of trouble.

One cannot be all things to all people.

I've worked with a lot of asylum seekers. Never yet come across one that has provided these reasons. In my role I see the record of information that is given at the initial interview, so I'm not just basing it on their word either.