UK Government ministers are set to remove basic housing protections from asylum seekers in England and Wales under new rules designed to move thousands out of hotels and into the private rented sector.
As reported by The Guardian, the new changes would exempt landlords from regulations governing everything from electrical safety to minimum room sizes.
This has led campaigners to warn the government is preparing to cram people into smaller spaces in a bid to alleviate the crisis in asylum seeker accommodation.
MPs are set to vote as soon as Wednesday on the plans, put forward by the Home Secretary, and Housing Secretary Michael Gove.
Under the changes, landlords of asylum seekers in England and Wales would no longer have to register with local authorities.
This would mean landlords could house asylum seekers for two years without obtaining a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence – a standard requirement for any landlord wishing to rent to more than one household in a single property.
Campaigns and network manager at the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants Mary Atkinson told The Guardian: “HMO licences exist to make sure that accommodation already falls below these standards, with people seeking sanctuary housed in cramped, windowless rooms smaller than prison cells.
“Without HMO licences, already traumatised people will be at risk of living in places that are unfit for human habitation.”
Gove is pushing the rules through the House of Commons at the request of Suella Braverman as the UK Government looks to reduce the number of people in temporary housing.
He plans to bring them to a vote in the Commons with little fanfare on a day that will otherwise be dominated by the publication of his bill to ban landlords from evicting tenants without cause.
Backlogs in the asylum system have led to more than 50,000 people being housed in hotels across the country, at a cost of £6 million a day.
Cramped and unsanitary conditions in the temporary accommodation have led to outbreaks of diseases such as diphtheria.
A UK Government spokesperson said: “By temporarily removing this licensing requirement, we will be able to acquire more suitable long-term accommodation while continuing to meet our legal duty of care.”
However, the chief executive of Shelter Polly Neate said the UK Government was putting people’s lives at risk with landlords no longer being asked to supply documents that show electrical appliances and furniture are safe and usable.
“Licensing for HMOs was brought in to keep people safe. By doing away with these protections in order to flex minimum space standards, the government is putting thousands of people, including children and older people, at serious risk.”
