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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think holiday homes could be used to house lots of refugees

660 replies

Letshaveablackcelebration · 13/03/2022 13:54

Uk has a LOT of holiday homes and empty second homes. Surely they could be used to take a lot of Refugees aswell as spare rooms? It could support local economies all year round too rather than just in peak tourism seasons? The crisis is going to escalate rapidly in Ukraine- there are 44 million people in the country and so far it’s about 2 million who have fled and now countries like Moldova and the Poland are starting to struggle so we need to step up.

Aibu? It seems like an obvious solution. Obviously using the empty homes of oligarchs too is a preference.

I read an article about a woman who gave her French holiday home to a refugee family.

OP posts:
caringcarer · 13/03/2022 17:11

After 6-12 months if they can work and get a job, have their children settled into school, and claim benefits including entitlement to housing benefit, I would expect they could move into a private rental same as anyone else. Why do you think this would be wrong? There are private rentals available where I live.

AlternativePerspective · 13/03/2022 17:12

But surely all the people outraged at those not taking in refugees from Ukraine aren’t able to either because they’re already hosting refugees from Afghanistan? Oh, wait…

Interesting that everyone is suddenly so outraged over Ukraine when there has been a refugee crisis for decades now involving multiple other countries. I don’t think it’s a secret why Ukraine is seen as being so different…

KateTheEighth · 13/03/2022 17:12

[quote caringcarer]@nicknacky, after 6 months I expect they will have a job, got children settled into school, registered with GP, sorted out any UC they will be entitled to and able too claim housing benefit. Government have said they will be entitled to claim benefits and stay for 3 years. My son was going to move into house but he has said he can wait 6-12 months.[/quote]

Obviously I don't know where you live but where I am there is a desperate shortage of rental properties. If a refugee family can't find anywhere permanent to rent (even assuming they can meet the credit checks and references having been in the country for just 6 months) you really can't throw them out, surely?

Zwellers · 13/03/2022 17:13

Letshaveablackcelebration are you being deliberately obtuse and not listening to replies that don't fit your agenda. Many posts have explained that holiday homes might be booked, that people may rely on that income for thier families, that rural places may not be best in terms of services and support for the refugees, and that the money to government is provided won't cover the costs/ costs would be passed on to the taxpayer. But feel free to criticise.let us know when the ukrainan families in your spare room

PourSomeLove · 13/03/2022 17:13

after 6 months I expect they will have a job, got children settled into school, registered with GP, sorted out any UC they will be entitled to and able too claim housing benefit.

Lol at them being all sorted at the 6 month mark. #Living their best life.

But even if they are, they may have to move out of the area that their job, school and GP is in to get housed. So then they have no job, school or GP again.

AngelinaFibres · 13/03/2022 17:14

[quote caringcarer]@nicknacky, after 6 months I expect they will have a job, got children settled into school, registered with GP, sorted out any UC they will be entitled to and able too claim housing benefit. Government have said they will be entitled to claim benefits and stay for 3 years. My son was going to move into house but he has said he can wait 6-12 months.[/quote]
You are desperately naive in this venture. In a years time you will be in serious financial trouble and your son will have no prospect of moving into that house.

woodhill · 13/03/2022 17:14

How is this being paid for

CannaBelieve · 13/03/2022 17:15

@woodhill

How is this being paid for
Through our taxes I guess
BurnDownTheDiscoHangTheDJ · 13/03/2022 17:17

The government would have to help financially if they just belong to ordinary people who have mortgages etc but yeah, in principle I agree.

AngelinaFibres · 13/03/2022 17:17

@caringcarer

After 6-12 months if they can work and get a job, have their children settled into school, and claim benefits including entitlement to housing benefit, I would expect they could move into a private rental same as anyone else. Why do you think this would be wrong? There are private rentals available where I live.
This is going to bite you so badly.
Bunnyfuller · 13/03/2022 17:18

When I was in the RAF Idid a lot of diplomatic interpreting duties. Lots for Ukrainian officials and military. In Russian. If you listen on TV, they’re mostly speaking Russian.

Aside from that, whatever country refugees go to, there will probably be linguistic issues. Not as many as if it were British people as the refugees. Knowing another language properly is generally a given in Europe.

For those of you saying ‘that wouldn’t cover a weekend let’ I’m presuming you mean what people charge for a holiday let for a weekend? Not what it actually costs the owner? So you’d be wanting to make profit out of the situation?

Do you not support refugees coming to the uk? Where should they go? Presumably you aren’t against what is happening in Ukraine? As you feel your second/third home etc is not appropriate for refugees?

I think ‘what about in 6 months, what about languages, what about schools at this point in time cannot be thought about. Safety from bombing, shelter and food in the immediate future are what we need to think about.

I don’t have a holiday home, but I do have a spare room, and would love to help out. I haven’t offered a room up in my home before, because the government hasn’t provided a route by which it could be done in an organised way.

When I read some of the replies here, the fact that we have such a self-serving and ruthless government in power is very clear.

Just remember, you can’t take it with you.

Easymeasy · 13/03/2022 17:18

@Letshaveablackcelebration

The outrage on here is very telling isn’t it. It’s fine to have strangers in your holiday home if they are paying loads or cash.

But it’s not fine to have strangers who are government subsidised refugee families fleeing war in your holiday home as they are somehow different.

It is very telling when people make pointless threads about white refugees but are silent on the black and brown ones. Have you ever offered a room out to any other refugees or just these ones pulling your heart strings.

No the government shouldn't be paying. I'd prefer money to be spent on people in poverty, the homeless and elderly and disabled people who are going to be suffering even more now.

woodhill · 13/03/2022 17:19

This is my frustration with it

Mellowyellow222 · 13/03/2022 17:21

People are often very free with other peoples property! There is a hint of jealousy on this post.

Thanks fully we live in a democracy. Yes we should do everything we can to support refugees but forcing people to give over their second homes and holiday homes doesn’t seem fair.

I don’t own a second or holiday home. I am not sure if I will be able to have refugees live with me either. I am happy to donate money - and have - but taking strangers into my home is huge.

douper · 13/03/2022 17:22

It is very telling when people make pointless threads about white refugees but are silent on the black and brown ones.

Has the OP said she hasn't done threads on other refugees?
Are you saying people should stop helping white refugees because not enough has been done for black or brown ones?

whiteroseredrose · 13/03/2022 17:22

@Letshaveablackcelebration

The outrage on here is very telling isn’t it. It’s fine to have strangers in your holiday home if they are paying loads or cash.

But it’s not fine to have strangers who are government subsidised refugee families fleeing war in your holiday home as they are somehow different.

I suppose you know the name and address of people renting a holiday home, you can take a damage deposit. And it is short term and you can get your property back whenever you want.

Unhomme · 13/03/2022 17:25

@Letshaveablackcelebration

It's always easy to offer someone else's property. Like it'd always easy to demand someone else pays more tax.

ValkyrieVik · 13/03/2022 17:25

It is very telling when people make pointless threads about white refugees but are silent on the black and brown ones.
Have you ever offered a room out to any other refugees or just these ones pulling your heart strings.

No the government shouldn't be paying. I'd prefer money to be spent on people in poverty, the homeless and elderly and disabled people who are going to be suffering even more now.

Yep. And is OP and some of the people virtue signalling on here the same ones who are up in arms about the cost of everything rising? Why do you think the cost of everything is rising? Because we have to pay back the billions spent in covid/furlough etc, etc etc. - on top of the fact the country was already in a mess.
People don't want nuclear energy/fracking etc but don't want to pay rising energy costs when we then have to buy it from elsewhere. I could go on.

If the government pay to house/school/provide the many-faceted assistance that these refugees will need where do you think the money comes from down the line?

This thread would honestly be laughable if it wasn't so shocking.

PourSomeLove · 13/03/2022 17:26

Has the OP said she hasn't done threads on other refugees?

Threads telling others to give up their things with little, if any, understanding of the complexities of doing that in this situation. These threads are absolute bullshit.

willweevergetthere · 13/03/2022 17:26

Would the places these holiday let's in be able to support an influx of foreign nationals?
Transport, infrastructure, resources?

douper · 13/03/2022 17:27

No the government shouldn't be paying. I'd prefer money to be spent on people in poverty, the homeless and elderly and disabled people who are going to be suffering even more now.

It's political though & whilst I agree not enough is being done about others homegrown issues we have to be seen to be taken our share of refugees.

douper · 13/03/2022 17:27

@PourSomeLove that's not what i asked though is it...

LampLighter414 · 13/03/2022 17:28

My holiday home is for me sorry

caringcarer · 13/03/2022 17:30

I don't know why some people on this thread are being so negative about my offer to help. In large town where I live, we are a national transportation hub so jobs always available for pickers and Packers. I looked on Rightmove. There are 12 private rental houses with either 2 or 3 bedrooms available to rent for reasonable rents. I can afford to accept £350 for 6 months, up to 8 months possibly but that is less than half going rate and won't even cover mortgage payments. There is very little mortgage left to pay less than £27k and my son wants to live there but is willing to wait 6-12 months. He is actually going to buy house from us for half its value. We will pay off capital gains. Tenants in another btl I own who speak Russian but are Moldovan will help them with language. At end of 6-8 months I will give them reference so they can get private rental. What are you doing to help???

PourSomeLove · 13/03/2022 17:31

douper

Whether she has or whether she hasn’t, her threads are meaningless. Playing at being a good person doesn’t make you a good person.