To dump my Ukrainian guests as homeless?

[razzbo]

It's not as evil as it sounds, bear with me. They have been living with me for 6 months and their jobs here have ended. I live in a very rural place, they don't drive and don't speak English. There is basically no chance of them getting other jobs here. The jobs they had here were given out of charity to be honest. They have found new jobs in Scotland - all 3 of them working in the same place, full time, £10 an hour, where there are other Ukrainians. Which I think they are very lucky to get considering they speak no English.

So we looked at finding them somewhere to rent but they looked at the price of rent and said no. They wanted me to find them a new sponsor so they could live for free. I tried my hardest but the council said no, and facebook said no. There are no sponsors. The council said to try the housing associations for a cheap place so I tried them all. Took forever to get answers out of them but the answers were no. They still won't rent privately. Then one of the housing association people suggested I make them homeless so that they get given temporary accommodation. My guests were up for this. I phoned around and found out all the details. 5 separate council employees (both here and in Scotland) said it was an OK idea and that they would be given somewhere to live. The plan was made - I was meant to be taking them next week and leaving them there. I phoned the council in Scotland today to just check the times of the homelessness drop-in and to check whether there was anything else I needed to know. Again, all was fine.

THEN the woman phoned me back to say she'd spoken to her manager who had said that because they are in England now and are registered at my address, they can't be made homeless in Scotland (even though they have jobs there, i.e. a reason to be there). She said that if I took them to the drop-in the council would not accept responsibility for them and would not give them housing and I would actually be making them PROPERLY HOMELESS and they would be sleeping on the street.

I cried on the phone. Basically, the truth is that I have to get rid of them. I can't handle them living in my house any more. I have been so kind and nice to them but it's been too much. They won't leave unless they have jobs to go to as they just want the money. They refuse to rent. I could make them homeless here but I would have to live with them hating me and crying at me (they do this a lot to get their way) while waiting for their new accommodation.

I was so close to being free. If I'd never phoned the council today I could have just taken them to Scotland and left them and been none the wiser about it all. What should I do? If it was you, would you just take them anyway? Surely the council has a duty of care to anyone who turns up saying they are homeless? Surely if you are a homeless human being it doesn't matter which county you last lived in? Also they have a child with them. Surely they will be given somewhere to stay if I take them to the drop-in?

Evacuees during WW2 were children. Who spoke English. Who were expected to earn their keep. It was a huge undertaking at the time as I’m not even sure families had much choice in the matter if they took one in or not. There’s no way it wasn’t s course if action that had its own problems, wonderful and enriching as it sounds in Goodnight Mr Tom.

This is not the same thing.

I'm sorry but I think they are being ridiculously selfish. They have jobs in an area where properties are available to rent. If the rent is high for their wage, I'm sure they will be eligible for some support.

You have helped these people into safety. You have done your part.

I wouldn't take them to Scotland. They may, very well, end up with nowhere to stay and literally be on the street.

They need to present as homeless to your local council, it's them that have a duty of care to find somewhere.

Where is Scotland is the job? Could they present as homeless somewhere in England close to the border so they can commute, or is it too far?

Do they know any of the Ukrainian people they will be working with? Could they put them up for a bit till they find something local to the job?

@razzbo no more crying. You have done your part and helped them on to their feet. Now that they can stand up themselves, you need to be firm

Councils leave people 'properly homeless' all the time! Or are you one of those people who assume that everyone on the streets or sofa surfing is doing so by choice??

If they have a child with them, the likelihood is they would be given a one night stay, their lack of eligibility confirmed the same afternoon, and bought a train ticket back to the county they are registered at. Councils issue one way travel tickets all the time.

I'm sorry you're in this situation but you need a better plan.

THIS

This isn't the impression I got from the post at all!

She volunteered to help them escape a war zone, they're now safe and have suitable employment, it should now be down to them to sort themselves out.

She volunteered to be a host in a time of crisis, she isn't a social worker!

That's not to say I don't empathise btw OP. I'm just hoping that was a troll posting such vile language.

*where IN Scotland, not is (I know where Scotland is... 🤦‍♂️)

OP your in quite a difficult situation but ultimately they are choosing not to rent. Can you let us know we're in Scotland? I am Scottish some parts of Scotland are really expensive to rent and incredibly difficult to even find a property to rent. I suspect they would have to provide the mother and child temporary accommodation. Children are not legally allowed to be homeless in Scotland as far as I am aware. Have you tried shelter Scotland? They can be super helpful.

@Proteinpudding why should the OP plan better. They have a very good option of working at a place where there are other Ukrainians and private renting. They are refusing to private rent. Why should the OP bear the burden of that

They will earn £10ph each and don’t want to rent?!

That’s plenty in some parts of Scotland.

Just take them to the council, you’ve done more than enough

They sound like absolute jokers. They are ridiculous.

Honestly, they do need to just rent privately. I’ve got so much sympathy for Ukraine and Ukrainians generally, but thinking you can just live for free in whatever country is just not realistic.

At the same time, I think the govt didn’t think the “homes for Ukraine” scheme out at all. What did they expect to happen after the six months many signed up for?

In your shoes, I’d have to say “look your options are, sort yourselves out a place to rent privately in Scotland and I’ll drive you up there, to your jobs. Or I’ll just make you homeless here and you can try your luck”

I don’t want to be unkind - hence I would drive them to their jobs in Scotland - but saying they won’t rent is ridiculous.

Three of them earning £10ph is plenty to be able to pay rent on somethin, they just don't want to. That is not your problem, and keep reminding yourself of that.

Tbh they are putting themselves in this situation. They have jobs but don't want to rent?! What do they think literally everybody else does for housing. Never heard anything so ridiculous. Tell them they now need to fend for themselves, as everyone else does, and either pay for rent or risk sleeping in the street.

As a side note, I can't imagine that you can turn up at any LA, in any UK country, and expect them to house you. La's would be inundated with people from all over if that were the case. Make them officially homeless and send them to your LA (if they refuse to private rent)

End your agreement with them and give your council notice, they then have a duty to put them up. When they present to the council they tell them they have job offers but it's in Scotland, your council will then liaise with the local council there to get them rehomed. It's all red tape but it's not your responsibility.

Even if they do end up homeless for a short period, they are choosing that over paying rent (if they have money to pay deposit etc and it's not a matter of not being able to in reality until they have a few wages in).

Do they have any money at all? I.e. if you made them homeless could they afford a hostel or b&b for the night by themselves?

They're taking the absolute piss. That's two wages above minimum wage going into one home.......they can afford to pay rent like everyone else has to.

They need to start their jobs and I’m sure their Ukrainian colleagues will give them advice on how to get the best accommodation. It’s unreasonable for them to expect to not pay at all for accommodation when they are working. I can understand the resistance because of the high cost of rentals however there are probably ways around this once you know the right people.

if you are completely desperate you could always pay them a couple of months rent so at least you could drop them off at an address close to their work.

@razzbo They want to love somewhere FOR FREE?
What a Liberty!
The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.
It sounds extremely grabby.

Make them “ Homeless” - they will get housed with a kid.
£10 hr each?
they can bloody well rent like UK people have to!!

I don't think that is at all how the hosting situation was framed at the start. People were actively discouraged from participating if they were not in a position to provide proper support, and especially if they were isolated. I think the OP took on more than she could sensibly provide, and she ought to admit that, rather than implying that it's all the fault of her guests.

Getting jobs in Scotland clearly wasn't well thought out. Just take them to your own council. You live in a rural area. It's not like they are going to hitch hike back to your house every day to guilt trip you. They refuse to pay rent and want either free or subsidised housing so let them go and find it.

It doesn't sound like she's giving them "a few days notice" & your experience isn't the same as everyone else's
She's given them a home for 6 months, they have suitable employment and are safe from the war zone they escaped from.

What's stopping them from standing on their own 2 feet now?