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Original poster

Homes for Ukrainians - Issues

36 replies

PercyGoat · 16/03/2022 20:31

DF & her DH foster "children refugees".

They currently have a male who is "just 17". He arrived on an inflatable boat. He has no passport or any verifiable background. He speaks little English.

DF went through extensive training to deal with trauma etc. Their house was assessed and they had to make some changes to their house to make it "child friendly".

Loads of my friends are announcing on Facebook that they are providing a room for refugees.

I worry about the lack of vetting on both sides!

DF has some boundaries in place into what placement she is willing and not willing to have. I don't think that people are aware of boundaries!!!

I've seen someone saying that they can convert their living room into a bedroom if needed. Others have one spare room and considering hosting a family. Why is no one concerned about overcrowding?

£350 does not cover the costs of housing someone.

What happens after 6 months???

OP posts:
IGiveUpalready · 16/03/2022 20:37

I think this needs to be handled sensitively and carefully. There are numerous scenarios where something could go wrong for either party. My concerns are for refuges being taken advantage of, trafficking and all sorts and there will be a little bit of it on the other side.

However the people coming for Ukraine needs to be homed and I don't see how we can do that safely - there needs to be some serious vetting but the government will be slated for being slow.

Original poster
PercyGoat · 16/03/2022 20:43

Good point, there are young women and children who could end up in the wrong homes... DBS checks are not even mandatory for those taking people in.

OP posts:
forinborin · 16/03/2022 20:47

I've seen someone saying that they can convert their living room into a bedroom if needed. Others have one spare room and considering hosting a family. Why is no one concerned about overcrowding?
Isn't it up to both parties to decide whether they are overcrowded or not?
Are you concerned that there will be a lot of undocumented "just 17" male "child refugees" from Ukraine turning up? It won't happen, the UK operates this scheme under pre-clearance for entry (i.e. a visa). You can't get one without proving who you are first.

Mouldyfeet · 16/03/2022 20:49

I’m hosting my friends friend and daughter. Room each and I’m DBS checked as I’m a nurse.

It’s worrying how many men are on the hosting refugee pages, all pouncing in the young women as soon as they post about a room.

This is open to abuse and very worrying.

Original poster
PercyGoat · 16/03/2022 21:06

Sorry, I'm not worried about undocumented 17 year olds - just that refugees arrive with undocumented backgrounds. I remember asking my DF - what if he was in fact a 23 year old who left his country because he was a convicted pedophile. There is no way of knowing who is coming into your house. DF has made fostering her career. She is well aware of her boundaries. An ordinary person offering a room is ill equipped.

@Mouldyfeet you are the perfect type of host. My DF used to be a nurse too by the way. I also worry for these young women!

OP posts:
SucculentChalice · 16/03/2022 21:13

I've seen someone saying that they can convert their living room into a bedroom if needed. Others have one spare room and considering hosting a family. Why is no one concerned about overcrowding?

If that was me, I have a flat which I use for work purposes. I'm not there a lot. It has 2 bedrooms. I was wondering out loud whether it would afford me the opportunity to host a mother and child. I don't want to give up occupancy for various reasons but mainly because its more protective for a landlord to have lodgers. I specifically stated by concern about overcrowding in my post and wondered whether the advantages would outweigh the disadvantages.

Please don't start rumours or try to make gossip about things which haven't actually happened.

Hyenaormeercat · 16/03/2022 21:20

To me it seems to be a charter for criminals to exploit women and children in a bad situation. No doubt there are some genuine people wanting to help but we all know that as a society we are self serving and selfish. Whilst we need to help these people we also need to remember that there are women fleeing to refuges daily here, people in poor, substandard housing, overcrowded and homeless. People would be better campaigning for the housing crisis to be resolved then there wouldn't necessarily be a need for people to be exploiting helping this way.
I hope to god that this bloody war stops soon so there is a country for Ukrainian people to be at home in. It must be their worst nightmare come true.

Original poster
PercyGoat · 16/03/2022 22:01

@SucculentChalice I don't know you unless you are friends with me on Facebook!! Grin A facebook friend said she would do this!

OP posts:
MrsMingech · 16/03/2022 22:02

YANBU I've been wondering exactly the same thing.

MsFogi · 16/03/2022 22:12

My growing concern is that the three people who have told me they have put themselves forward to 'host' are the last people who I would expect to do so. However, after further conversation all of them seem to see the arrangement to be one where they are getting cheap/free, skilled labour (there seem to be various groups that are organising for particular 'skilled' people to come over eg gardening, building etc). They all seem to see this a way to plug the gap that has been left by covid/Brexit with foreign workers leaving the country.

TheHateIsNotGood · 16/03/2022 22:50

Apparently - all potential hosts and their properties will be 'checked-out' by "Local Authorities" - whatever this means.

Let's look at the good side for a change - many people in the UK want to share their homes with women and children fleeing war/a crisis. And this is not a bad thing - very few have 'exploitation' or any such thing in their minds.

Many things could go wrong - but when it's all gone so very badly wrong - many people wanting to make it better is not a bad thing.

Doing nothing to help does nothing. This isn't just a Facebook thing, rooted in virtue signalling, it's a 'break in the Per conflicts. So many offering 'refugee accommodeace' that has held in Europe since the end of WW2 despite any othations' are those who remember WW2 more than they use FB or insta.

sst1234 · 16/03/2022 23:42

@MsFogi

My growing concern is that the three people who have told me they have put themselves forward to 'host' are the last people who I would expect to do so. However, after further conversation all of them seem to see the arrangement to be one where they are getting cheap/free, skilled labour (there seem to be various groups that are organising for particular 'skilled' people to come over eg gardening, building etc). They all seem to see this a way to plug the gap that has been left by covid/Brexit with foreign workers leaving the country.
And this is exactly what it is. A way to import cheap labour. And government sanctioned it. Clever isn’t it? The public are being made fools out of.
BourbonVanilla · 17/03/2022 00:02

He arrived on an inflatable boat? Are you sure he's from Ukraine?

Original poster
PercyGoat · 17/03/2022 00:10

@BourbonVanilla

He arrived on an inflatable boat? Are you sure he's from Ukraine?
No, they foster as a career. The refugee was from somewhere else long before the Ukraine war. My point is that he has no verifiable background.
OP posts:
Zapx · 17/03/2022 02:18

I think the issue is the sheer scale of the number of people currently displaced. No country will be able to cope, and help, to anything like the numbers required without doing less-than-ideal schemes, a bit like this imo. We could say no one comes until background checks, desire for helping checks, property checks, no overcrowding checks, full safeguarding etc but realistically these people need helping now... I worry too about exploitation. I think the potential is massive. But I equally don't really see another way of doing it, to the numbers that will be required.

Meadmaiden · 17/03/2022 02:26

Op, I would say, are they even sure this 17 year d is a minor? There are cases of asylum seekers posing as children, who are much older, in order to make them harder to deport.

This is a less than ideal solution out of necessity. We don't have enough empty properties to house everyone arriving. It also has the potential to work well, with host families helping Ukrainians to learn the language and access local services and employment, as well as a cultural exchange.

TempName01 · 17/03/2022 08:50

People offering their homes are very generous but I fear they are not thinking it through. There is so much that can go wrong, we always see on here people posting complaining about unwanted visitors and guests, how stressful it is having people staying. Yet people are willing to potentially have a family staying with them long term, what do they do if it simply isn’t working out?!

Nicholethejewellery · 17/03/2022 09:30

People who do offer rooms need to be very careful to make sure they inform the necessary people.

Insurance company needs to be informed because your premium will be partly based on who is living at the property.

Mortgage provider or landlord need to be informed.

If you're a leaseholder like me, your lease may prevent you taking a refugee and therefore you risk losing your home. Mine states the flat can only be occupied by "professional people of good character" - I would have no way of telling in advance whether the refugee(s) I got were "professional people" or "of good character" so risk breaching the lease.

EvilPea · 17/03/2022 09:33

I agree completely. I live in a place rife for slavery. I can see them rubbing their hands with glee at the prospect of getting paid for their new free labourers.

MumsMetHer · 17/03/2022 09:42

I totally understand most of the concerns expressed here.

But why would it be overcrowding to use the one spare/guest bedroom?

Presumably that would be used for a single person, or mother and child, rather than for a family of four?

AlternativePerspective · 17/03/2022 09:44

And this is exactly what it is. A way to import cheap labour. And government sanctioned it. Clever isn’t it? The public are being made fools out of. ffs. If the government don’t let in refugees they’re accused of not doing enough. If they do let them in, and let’s be honest here we don’t have space for an unlimited number of refugees unless the public become involved, then the public are being made fools of.

How exactly do you propose we deal with a potential influx of refugees while under pressure to take in more and more and do it now?

I agree that taking in refugees is fraught with potential issues, but there is no right or wrong answer here.

SallyLovesCheese · 17/03/2022 09:48

We've expressed interest to have an adult and child. At the moment it's just so we can get updates and make a more informed choice later. There is a lot to think about, as people have said. I can only hope that the background checks are done thoroughly and that councils do go and look at properties before decisions are made. I'm a teacher and we're both DBS checked already and have no problems being further checked out. But people here are right that it could potentially be terrible for some refugees.

Cheesecakeandwineinasuitcase · 17/03/2022 09:51

I worry about them exploited and modern slavery. There seems to be very little by way of protection from people who do not have refugees best interests at heart.

Alexandra2001 · 17/03/2022 10:04

I thought everyone has to be vetted? thats what the Govt website says if you are not related.

Those arriving will have met standard security checks. Sponsors will also be subject to checks

Those in the sponsoring households will also be subject to security checks and may be subject to safeguarding checks too. Checks may be carried out on a rolling basis

Of course, this means further delays before any refugee actually arrives here with no family connections.

SquashedSquashes · 18/03/2022 21:46

Hi all

Sorry I’m resurrecting a thread, but I have some questions about the visa form.

I have completed it on behalf of the family we’ve connected with, and have sent them a form. They all have valid passports.

They want to know if they have to go to a biometric centre, as well as completing the form. Does anyone know the answer to this?

Thanks!