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

[Letshaveablackcelebration]

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.

@alltheapples

@AllOfUsAreDead

I can just imagine the threads on here already..

'we've had our holiday booked for YEARS, scraping every penny together, and now it's been given to refugees so we can't stay there. Aibu?'

Not saying you're wrong, but I can imagine the outrage from the average British person. Its all well and good helping them until it interrupts their life.

Actually this has happened to us, air bnb in France we had booked has been used to house a Ukrainian family. We thought the owners did the right thing, and booked another - but if we hadn't been able to, I'd still be happy. My need for a holiday is significantly less important than someone having a roof over their head

I'm not sure if a quote from a documented racist who committed genocide and let millions of people starve to death is meant to inspire me?

You try to divert the conversation at every turn Yebs

You seem obsessed with turning this thread into a one about racism?

Ok then, Did you know the Saudi Arabians have killed around a million people in the Yemen? It's happening now.

Why haven't you insisted your parents take refugees from that part of the world?

Why does no-one talk about the war in Yemen?

So, the OP thinks holiday homes 'could be used for refugees' ? Surely that's up to the individual owners to offer them up if they want to? This is a very random post, what gives you the right to make this very generous offer of other people's property?
(HRTWT as the suggestion is so ludicrous)

@ValkyrieVik

I'm not sure if a quote from a documented racist who committed genocide and let millions of people starve to death is meant to inspire me?

You try to divert the conversation at every turn Yebs

You seem obsessed with turning this thread into a one about racism?

Ok then, Did you know the Saudi Arabians have killed around a million people in the Yemen? It's happening now.

Why haven't you insisted your parents take refugees from that part of the world?

Why does no-one talk about the war in Yemen?

I've maintained the exact same point about the exact same situation throughout, you are the one throwing different situations and quote photos at me. One of us has stayed on topic here and it isn't you.

OP YAB very U. Lots of second property owners like me have to rent them out - in my case, it's my sole source of income apart from a zero hours contract job which pays peanuts. Rent on my second property goes directly to help support my student daughter. I just can't afford to stop renting it to put a refugee in despite being very sympathetic to their plight. I imagine there are many people in my position.

@Genegenieee
But you did get your holiday, so that's nice.
I'm not talking about losing a holiday, I'm talking about losing my income and everything I've worked for because OP thinks it's an obvious solution.

I'm pointing out racism because it's going to be a huge factor in why lots of people won't help.

And I think it's ironic to quote Churchill to me in a conversation about how I was disappointed by my mum being racist.

Slightly above-average earnings? 40k?

But what about the war in Yemen?

Why is everyone so keen to insist others (not they themselves of course, they haven't the room) open their houses to Ukrainian refugees?

What about all the darker skinned refugees fleeing from wars that've been going on for years? Who's been starting umpteen threads this week about that?

Some hypothetical ideas are worth discussing.
This definitely isn’t one of them.

Well, it's good that such wealthy nations as Poland, Hungary, Slovakia, Romania and Moldova are able to step up and help since people here have such insurmountable obstacles with their peak season rents, business plans and welcome hampers.

Is arguing about refugees from Afghanistan and Yemen really helpful in this scenario? Those situations haven't been given anywhere near the press the Ukrainian war has. I'm not saying that's right but the press has power and the people will talk more about that which the press do. Sure, in an ideal world people would give every person who needs help the same coverage, consideration and opportunity but that isn't the world we live in. People have a lot of internalised racism they may not even realise is racism. British people can look at the Ukrainians on TV and see themselves in them in a way they won't a Middle Eastern refugee. The Ukrainians are shown on the press as innocent victims, unfortunately a lot of British people see someone from the Middle East and think terrorist. This shouldn't be the case but it is, and it's obvious that is why, but it's not necessarily the peoples fault for buying what they media feeds them. It's the way a large amount of our society lives.

Is arguing about refugees from Afghanistan and Yemen really helpful in this scenario? Those situations haven't been given anywhere near the press the Ukrainian war has. I'm not saying that's right but the press has power and the people will talk more about that which the press do. Sure, in an ideal world people would give every person who needs help the same coverage, consideration and opportunity but that isn't the world we live in. People have a lot of internalised racism they may not even realise is racism. British people can look at the Ukrainians on TV and see themselves in them in a way they won't a Middle Eastern refugee. The Ukrainians are shown on the press as innocent victims, unfortunately a lot of British people see someone from the Middle East and think terrorist. This shouldn't be the case but it is, and it's obvious that is why, but it's not necessarily the peoples fault for buying what they media feeds them. It's the way a large amount of our society lives.

Exactly. But people should also have it pointed out to them what massive virtue-signalling hypocrites they are.

*lying to his mother, not yours

Like any humanitarian crisis there will be virtue signalling, however it is a crisis and pointing out someone wanting to help a Ukrainian but not a Middle Eastern refugee and the racism behind that won't result in more Middle Eastern refugees getting help but could well harm the plight of the Ukrainians who are more likely to be offered help by people.

English people are just unbelievable. Ukrainians are fleeing WAR and people here are giving endless excuses, asking who will replace their £3k a month holiday rental earnings (!), moaning about wear and tear and not wanting 'strangers' in their home! 'What if they take a loan in our name?'!!! hmm

You do realise that, rightly or wrongly, some rely on the income (I won't be criticising as I'm sitting in a holiday rental right now)?

What's wrong with not wanting strangers in your home? I said upthread that after my Mum's experience I would never have anyone I didn't know staying in my home and I stand by that whether they are a refugee or not. Mum's lodger was through a council scheme and the arsehole left the place stinking of weed, didn't pay his rent and Mum was still getting letters from debt collection agencies several years later. I know you shouldn't judge but he put me off ever having a stranger in my home, no matter what the circumstances.

If DH had done that to his mother I would have put her straight.