Will you be opening your home up to Ukrainian refugees?

[musicalfrog]

Interested to see how popular this will be considering so many of us want desperately to make a tangible difference.

My OH wouldn't be up for it I don't think, and we don't have a spare room so I will avoid that particular argument. But otherwise I think it would be such a great thing to do.

The govt is asking for a minimum commitment of 6 months. Will you be signing up?

I feel awful for thinking like this because it’s an awful situation that those poor people find themselves in and they deserve every bit of help they can get but there is just no way I would ever feel comfortable allowing someone I’ve never met before into my house.

I know that’s wrong because you can’t just assume someone will be bad just because you don’t know them but the fact is I wouldn’t know them and I just wouldn’t feel comfortable with that.

Id have to know someone pretty well before I allowed them to stay in my house

In theory, yes. However we are very rural, no public transport and no nearby employment opportunities. Without transport it would be difficult for someone to live with us. I can’t provide transport as well (something like a bike wouldn’t be practical either!).
If I was in the position to be able to afford to “employ” someone, had the means to fund transport etc then yes. But in this practical level I don’t think we’d be anyones first choice :)

So, a cacophony of abuse thrown at the government for not instigating an open-door policy on refugees from Ukraine and yet when the opportunity for the same ppl to actually put their money where their months is it's, " Oh God NO, I couldn't possibly do that".

The stench of hypocrisy is over whelming.

And yes, I would offer to help. I have a property on the Dorset coast that I inherited from my grandparents which can accommodate at least one family. And not only will I be losing the income as a holiday destination but I will be footing all utility bill costs and providing food. I can also arrange employment too.

Sometimes you've got to stop shouting at everybody to do something and actually start doing it yourself. Otherwise, your just full of shit.

@Viviennemary

No. But I would if I was a different type of person.

. That made me smile. At least you’re an honest type of person.

We have had the conversation and will do it if we meet criteria. Frustratingly it looks as if we won't be allowed to.

There are jobs locally and school places available.

Mother of a friend does a lot of charity work for Catholic charities including helping refugees and lives in a large house but I think she wouldn’t open her home to refugees as she’s elderly and can be a big tricky to live with. If she was younger she might.

@HereComesSpringAgain

Someone mentioned on a thread

But a young woman in your home could be an advantage

As in you could treat her as an au pair. Childcare/cleaning it would make them feel less of an inconvenience (which is exactly how I would feel) and more on an equal footing. School hols approaching

It just a thought with no offence intended as I'm sure it will be twisted as this is MN!

This would be fine so long as they are actually treated as au pairs and not exploited as free labour.

So bed, board, phone and time off to attend a language class in exchange for 25-30 hours work a week max. Plus around £80-£100 a week spending money.

[quote RedWingBoots]@purpleboy firstly why shouldn't I bring up racism when it is a big issue for refugees and those fleeing war zones?

Secondly you made a mistake in your assumption about my family, which is why I chose my words carefully.[/quote]
I'm not sure if you've misunderstood me, I was supporting your position.
I'm not sure what you mean about an assumption on your family? I don't think I did that?

@Pyewhacket

So, a cacophony of abuse thrown at the government for not instigating an open-door policy on refugees from Ukraine and yet when the opportunity for the same ppl to actually put their money where their months is it's, " Oh God NO, I couldn't possibly do that".

The stench of hypocrisy is over whelming.

And yes, I would offer to help. I have a property on the Dorset coast that I inherited from my grandparents which can accommodate at least one family. And not only will I be losing the income as a holiday destination but I will be footing all utility bill costs and providing food. I can also arrange employment too.

Sometimes you've got to stop shouting at everybody to do something and actually start doing it yourself. Otherwise, your just full of shit.

Nonsense.

So many of us already live in inadequate, over occupied housing, whilst city centre flat development projects and second homes sit empty.

@Pyewhacket

So, a cacophony of abuse thrown at the government for not instigating an open-door policy on refugees from Ukraine and yet when the opportunity for the same ppl to actually put their money where their months is it's, " Oh God NO, I couldn't possibly do that".

The stench of hypocrisy is over whelming.

And yes, I would offer to help. I have a property on the Dorset coast that I inherited from my grandparents which can accommodate at least one family. And not only will I be losing the income as a holiday destination but I will be footing all utility bill costs and providing food. I can also arrange employment too.

Sometimes you've got to stop shouting at everybody to do something and actually start doing it yourself. Otherwise, your just full of shit.

But the government should be the ones to at the first instance be supporting refugees

After that if individuals want to step up and offer accommodation then great but it feels like it’s just a way for the government to get out of their responsibility

@Pyewhacket

So, a cacophony of abuse thrown at the government for not instigating an open-door policy on refugees from Ukraine and yet when the opportunity for the same ppl to actually put their money where their months is it's, " Oh God NO, I couldn't possibly do that".

The stench of hypocrisy is over whelming.

And yes, I would offer to help. I have a property on the Dorset coast that I inherited from my grandparents which can accommodate at least one family. And not only will I be losing the income as a holiday destination but I will be footing all utility bill costs and providing food. I can also arrange employment too.

Sometimes you've got to stop shouting at everybody to do something and actually start doing it yourself. Otherwise, your just full of shit.

I agree in every way.

Detailmouse, the thing is there's plenty of money knocking about for stuff the govt wants to finance. How about they reclaim some of the money given to their mates? Plenty of Russian oligarchs money floating about

@DetailMouse

I think it's very telling that the vast majority of responses are "I'd love to but because of xyz I couldn't" or "seriously considering but...."

I expect the stats for take up of this scheme will show that people don't actually want to help as much as they said they did.

Quite. I wonder how many of the people who two weeks ago were saying how ‘devastated’ they were and how they ‘couldn’t sleep’ are now saying “Oh I couldn’t live with a stranger” or “that would be disruptive for my children”. Trauma tourists.

Obviously if you don’t have the room that’s different. I have a family member with a big house and they are going to offer, and I’ve agreed to help financially.

@HereComesSpringAgain - I think that’d work much better as an au pair.

If it were me though and eg I was put up but say I offered to clean, imagine if you’ve come from the Ukraine had to leave your job and family but then had to clean? Might lead to resentment but say if it’s a man or they could do eg gardening etc that may be a compromise especially if they can’t travel to study etc.

After that if individuals want to step up and offer accommodation then great but it feels like it’s just a way for the government to get out of their responsibility

"The government" means us. Surely you realise there aren't 100s of home standing empty eating for a situation like this? If we want to house these people we need to find them homes. The same with the cost. Whether directly or indirectly, we need to pay for it and this government was basically elected on the back of promises not to pay for "foreigners"..

Of course I would. I have a spare room. It would mean I’m gaining a friend for life. I’d struggle financially for a bit, I’m assuming I’ll be expected to support financially, but in the grand scheme of things, a few extra shifts to pay for a war refugee ain’t gonna kill me.
It’s women and children we’re talking about, it could be you and your children. Give them a helping hand, guys.

Much like how the government housed the homeless in hotels during covid why can’t they book up loads of hotels for refugees and have service providers visit them there to help with access to medical care, applications to schools etc etc ?

@DetailMouse

After that if individuals want to step up and offer accommodation then great but it feels like it’s just a way for the government to get out of their responsibility

"The government" means us. Surely you realise there aren't 100s of home standing empty eating for a situation like this? If we want to house these people we need to find them homes. The same with the cost. Whether directly or indirectly, we need to pay for it and this government was basically elected on the back of promises not to pay for "foreigners"..

There are many areas with surplus housing not all areas are like London for example with huge waiting lists for social Housing .

These refugees could be temporarily housed in hotels or private homes if people want to volunteer then rehoused in social housing where it’s available . There is plenty of housing in the U.K. for them not all areas are short

There is plenty of housing in the U.K. for them not all areas are short

Where?

I definitely would - remember they would also be living with people they don’t know, and are much more vulnerable

We don't have a spare room, which is probably just as well as I would seriously consider it but I don't think DH would want to. I would be nervous about it though just because of the language barrier and I work from home so would always be there

I would love to but realistically we don’t have the space. We wouldn’t be able to offer them their own room to sleep in and we only have two rooms downstairs so there wouldn’t be any privacy

I have no room - three kids in a typical 2.5 bedroom house so it isn't even a consideration. If we had room, I don't know. We have three young kids to care for, I don't have capacity to care for someone in trauma who doesn't speak much English, who's kids might never see their Dad again. It's about more than a room.
I have a friend who has a home abroad, she's in England so she's given it over to a Ukrainian family. The village are pulling together to make sure they have enough food, clothing, money for bills etc.

@DetailMouse

There is plenty of housing in the U.K. for them not all areas are short

Where?

I’m in a London borough and was told there’s a scheme to relocate families to places in the midlands and Lincolnshire and other areas as the wait here is so so long and these areas have family homes available

I’m sure there might be other people who actually live in areas where social housing isn’t as hard to get so would know of other areas too ?

Also with new builds are a proportion still kept for social housing ? There flats springing up all over why can’t those ones be set aside for refugees as well ?

Also, what happens if things don’t work out? What happens if e.g. their children bully your children? if the adults turn out to be unpleasant people you just can’t live with? Will there be a way of backing out given you have to commit to 6 months?

This. Also the war may not be over in 6 months. What then? Those who are hosting refugees can’t just chuck them out.
Using the empty tower blocks in London seems like a good idea but unless the owners are Russian I don’t think it’s legal just to seize property.
I totally agree though that these properties should not be bought as investments and left empty.