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.

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@starlight48 yes and every single one of us are only a step away from that. It could easily be us.[/quote]
I think you missed the main point of Starlight48 post. A lot of holiday homes you're expecting people to give up are isolated, so using them for refugees could make the situation worse for the very people you claim to be trying to help.

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@BeHappy91818 no, it’s actually having people come and live in my home. It’s very different and that’s my point. House people in need in the millions of empty homes![/quote]
Why don't you go and live with a friend or relative for a while and let someone have your home?
Offer them the £350 the government would give you for offering your home.

Why don't you go and live with a friend or relative for a while and let someone have your home?
Offer them the £350 the government would give you for offering your home.

I suggested this a little further up the thread, funnily enough the OP ignored my suggestion.

Most people just do not have space or a holiday home to rent out. Yet again this Govt is expecting the public to do the govts job.

@girlmom21 but none of us are in position to know how to emotionally deal with it. As I am sure no one accross Europe is but they are doing it anyway because they understand that this is a crisis and these people need help.

@Whinge I haven’t ignored your question at all. I have said I am happy to offer a room to a family. Holiday homes are mostly empty and aren’t peoples main residence so not sure your point.

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@BeHappy91818 no, it’s actually having people come and live in my home. It’s very different and that’s my point. House people in need in the millions of empty homes![/quote]
When you own one of those empty homes then go ahead but until you do stop trying to guilt & pressure others into doing it.

If I had a second home/holiday home I would offer it.

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@SparklyLeprechaun but this is my point- these are empty homes! If the government was willing to pay then what is the problem? It’s an enormous crisis that’s set to get a lot worse[/quote]
They aren't empty if they've been booked for holidays. The government won't pay what they would get in holiday rental. And it's up to the owners what they do with THEIR property.

When you read articles like this one, it's hard not to agree with the OP:
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/12/abersoch-second-homes-holiday-wales

Certainly something drastic needs to be done about holiday and second homes. They are destroying coastal and National Park communities. Strict, low limits on numbers allowed in any area and much higher council tax on them are part of the solution. Using the ones largely left empty as homes for refugees would get my vote. I would much rather have refugees as actual neighbours than mainly empty tarted-up-to-the-eyeballs-money-thrown-at-them houses.

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@Whinge I haven’t ignored your question at all. I have said I am happy to offer a room to a family. Holiday homes are mostly empty and aren’t peoples main residence so not sure your point.[/quote]
Holiday homes aren't mostly empty though. They're rented out pretty much all year round.

You'd be a lot less out of pocket giving up your home then people who rent out holiday properties as their main source of income would be giving them up.

If I had a second home/holiday home I would offer it.

Another generous poster.

🙄

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@CannaBelieve but we are going to HAVE to step up in the way Europe has stepped up. I don’t think it’s really sunk in yet the scale of this crisis. Europe seem to understand more because they understand WW2 and what it means to be invaded and occupied. Britain never experienced that so maybe that’s why we don’t really really understand or seem to empathise in the same way.

And as I have said, I will offer a room.[/quote]
The British were bombed and evacuated though. They still went through trauma. They lost loved ones

Lots of people incl MP's have second homes. There is Chequers and the Queen has a number of properties standing empty. Let's see who steps up.

@PourSomeLove

It’s an open thread and I can post what I like thanks! wink

You can. I’m just wondering why you need to tell us. I don’t feel the need to tell people if I do a good deed, just wondering the reasons behind you feeling you need to tell people, even though you can’t do it.

It was in response to your comment about people not wanting to take in men and teenaged boys. Not trying to make myself look good at all (I don’t because I can’t actually carry it out) but pointing out that not everyone would refuse to take them in.

But sure, look for the bad in everyone. It must make you really happy to feel superior to me.

Many 2nd homes are just that and not rented, certainly many of the ones in our Cornish Village are just used as retreats by their owners.

No reason why the Govt couldn't pay a reasonable amount to the owners to house Ukrainians.

After all, many have used a council tax loop hole to zero rate their properties and then claimed 10k in Covid support - CCC believe approx 3000 home owners did this in Cornwall alone.

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@Whinge I haven’t ignored your question at all. I have said I am happy to offer a room to a family. Holiday homes are mostly empty and aren’t peoples main residence so not sure your point.[/quote]
Holiday homes are not mostly empty.

They are holiday homes… you know … people stay in them frequently when going on holiday.

@PourSomeLove

You can have an opinion despite not having another home. Generosity isn't a given, someone can have a 2nd home & not share it but still help in other ways just like someone can be generous without offering a 2nd home they don't have.

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@daisypond yes exactly! Government covers costs. There is going to need to be an entire system of support put in place accross the country to facilitate this anyway so not sure how rural towns are any different to cities.

French villages are taking people & stepping
Up. The idea that refugees can only come to cities is nonsense. These towns cope with tourists so why can’t they cope with refugees?[/quote]
If there were no tourists where I live then many businesses, including mine, would go bust and people would lose their jobs. Tourists don’t need GPs or teachers or social services and refugees don’t need cream teas or locally produced chutney. I’m sorry but I think you’re incredibly naive.

Lots of people incl MP's have second homes. There is Chequers and the Queen has a number of properties standing empty. Let's see who steps up.

Yes it will be interesting

OP do you understand that a holiday home suitable for a single family might be rented out at £3000+ per month. Even if the government footed the bill (which they never will), are you happy, as a taxpayer, to pay that?

Q

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@Whinge I haven’t ignored your question at all. I have said I am happy to offer a room to a family. Holiday homes are mostly empty and aren’t peoples main residence so not sure your point.[/quote]
My post suggested you move in with family / friends and let them have your house for £350 a month. Regardless of whether that covers the bills and expenses or if you've already got bookings. You keep claiming you'll offer a room, but why stop there?

Also i'm not sure why you keep saying holiday homes are mostly empty. We're heading towards Easter, half term, and the summer, why do you think they'll be sat empty?

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.

If I had a holiday home I defo would
If I had a spare room I defo would
If I had spare income I would donate more

Anymore meaningless statements I’ve missed off?