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.

775 rooms at Buckingham Palace, that could house a few people as well.

2nd homes MPs own.

@MySoCalledL1fe

Also, a lot of holiday homes are in areas that are already struggling with a lack of public services. My local GP practice has closed to new patients, there are no dentists, the hospitals are struggling…..

It’s Services that really worry me, too. Will the local GPs and hospitals cope? Never mind schools.

I wish people would stop these threads. Six months ago it was all "poor Arthur, I'd have taken him in" - how many more people actually went on to be foster carers?

Now it's all "if people have holiday homes they have a moral obligation to give them to refugees". I'm not saying people sont mean well but these kinds of emotional posts miss all the practical points and almost always seem to volunteer private individuals up for action. Sorry but of it's not your asset it's not your right to put it up to support a cause.

just ukrainian ones, or refugees in general, because its a markedly different attitude im sensing from the public regarding ukrainian refugees than previous refugee crises, such as the syrians

@flounfer

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

Even if it meant you could n longer pay your mortgage?

I have a caravan on a haven park, I'd be more than happy to let a Ukrainian family live in, if it was possible.

[quote Letshaveablackcelebration]@Davros was I judging anyone at all? Massive assumption there. But if there are loads of empty homes & the government is willing to pay then what is the difference between holiday makers and refugees?[/quote]
I doubt the government are going to pay up to £1000 a week in the summer months like some of these holiday lets do for example in Devon and cornwall. In my opinion it just isn't going to happen.
Anyone have any idea if there might be opportunities for people to take orphans. I heard on the news there are 100, 000 orphans in Ukraine. It's heartbreaking.

@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.

but there's no outrage at the situation here.... it's all aimed at YOU op

Not refugees
Or the government

Just you.

Nice idea but my holiday rental is my sole source of income.

How do you suggest I pay my bills?

@Ponoka7

Also look at Jaywick. That's what we are potentially creating.

Oh good lord! I'd rather not

@APurpleSquirrel

Surely a better place to start would be all those overpriced flats in London currently standing empty owned by shell companies etc & all the commercial buildings or closed hotels currently vacant that could be converted into temporary accommodation, before expecting the public to step in? But, of course, I doubt that would be popular with our government or their donors...

Yes, or one of the royal family's 26 homes, (just their actual houses, they own about 7000 "plots" in total) many of which, like Frogmore House (not cottage) are never occupied and just used for functions, others that are only used for a week or two a year, or house wastes of space like Prince Andrew at Royal Lodge?

I just saw that John Cauldwell (net work over 3billion) was offering his 10 million house to Ukrainian refugees and thought wow, a rich person actually doing something. But then when I read the article he's only offering a 2bed coach house - he still has 32 plus bedrooms available for his private use between that estate and his London house.

If a billionaire is considered laudable for giving up a 2 bed house, the income of which will be negligible to him, why should people with second homes, who often rely on it as their main income, be expected to do the same?

I don't own a second home, btw, just sick of it always being the 'normal' people who are already currently struggling hugely with the cost of living being the ones to help, when we as a country have such a high proportion of million/billionaires who like to preach at us after they've donated a £1000 (equivalent to a tenner to me!).

Surely it would make sense for the government to house them initially in hotels to help the hospitality industry.

A lot of businesses have been hit hard during covid and should need the income. It would also allow the Ukrainian people to be near others

YANBU, OP – personally I think the government should requisition the lot as per wartime – but the “but I’m a lovely benevolent landlord/property magnate/owner of unnecessary second home” crowd of MN will have your head on a platter for this thread. The right to as many houses as you want and fuck everyone else is more deeply enshrined than the Mumsnet chicken.

Even if it meant you could n longer pay your mortgage?

I wouldn't even think of investing in a BTL if I needed a big mortgage on it. However I was talking about myself, other people have different circumstance. In the same way I wouldn't expect everyone to donate the same or at all.

@stuntbubbles

YANBU, OP – personally I think the government should requisition the lot as per wartime – but the “but I’m a lovely benevolent landlord/property magnate/owner of unnecessary second home” crowd of MN will have your head on a platter for this thread. The right to as many houses as you want and fuck everyone else is more deeply enshrined than the Mumsnet chicken.

I agree. MN has lots of wonderful qualities, but the core demographic is and always has been stolidly Tory.

And saying they’ll house women and young children knowing very well that most will arrive as families including a man or teenage boys

That simply isn’t true. Refugees are almost exclusively women and children. The men are staying behind to fight.

@Ponoka7

Also look at Jaywick. That's what we are potentially creating.

what? An underfunded area with a really strong community and a beautiful coastline thats fed up of people using their community as some sort of laughing stock?

It's not jeery. It's making OP realise that you can't just force people to give up their assets.

Well the oligarchs being hit with sanctions may see it differently.

Needmoreshinys, I'm sure the Queen's not the only one with spare bedrooms

Refugees, or just the white ones?

Teenage boys are coming over as well as males with disabilities, Sen, illnesses and the elderly

Are mumsnetters hosting these groups??

Or just a lone mother with a couple of cutesy kids?

@Blossomtoes

And saying they’ll house women and young children knowing very well that most will arrive as families including a man or teenage boys

That simply isn’t true. Refugees are almost exclusively women and children. The men are staying behind to fight.

It IS true!

You don't get or stay wealthy in this country by having a social conscience or caring about the less fortunate. You get and stay wealthy by looking after number one, and pulling up the ladder after you. So you're flooging a dead horse here, I'm afraid.

It's short sighted because an equal society is better for all.

Teenage boys are coming over as well as males with disabilities, Sen, illnesses and the elderly

Yes not every male can fight but % way its far more women & children.

I think this hasn’t been thought through properly. These are people feeling war having left family members behind many to die. They are not just going to slot into family life and accompany you down the pub on a Friday or cosy up in front of the tv when you come home tired from work. I don’t know what the solution is.