Councillor says taking asylum seekers out of hotels will “make things worse”

Lisburn councillor warns that ordering asylum seekers out of hotels will result in higher rents

A DUP councillor is warning that barring hotels from housing asylum seekers will “make things worse” as they could end up in homes bought up by the UK Home Office. Alderman Paul Porter has been trying to raise the profile of the Mears Group which acts on behalf of the Home Office by buying homes in Northern Ireland which are used to house asylum seekers. The Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council councillor says that Mears “buy up properties” which drive up rents in those areas. And he is now warning that the situation could get worse across the UK as the out-workings of the Epping Forest court ruling take effect.

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Earlier this week Antrim and Newtownabbey Council said an enforcement investigation has begun into the legal planning status of the Chimney Corner Hotel in Co Antrim being used to house asylum seekers. It comes after Epping Forest District Council was granted a temporary injunction by the High Court on Tuesday which blocks asylum seekers from being housed at the Bell Hotel in the Essex town. Unionist politicians have further raised concerns about the status of hotels within the Causeway Coast and Glens and Ards and North Down Borough Council areas. Alderman Porter fears a potential knock-on effect of emptying hotels of asylum seekers could be that rental prices “rocket” in deprived areas. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) Alderman Paul Porter said: “We are four years ahead of what is happening with hotels in England. But, what happens is the people in the hotels are then put into houses. “If England wants to know what is going to happen as a result of legal challenges on hotels, then all they have to do is look at Northern Ireland as we have sadly been the road map for this over the years, with Mears. When people are moved out of hotels then companies like Mears buy up properties in deprived areas to house them. “I have had people in my constituency in a deprived area contact me on rental prices rocketing up almost double the cost in recent months. The issue with Mears is that they are directly going after properties in these areas, that I believe is causing other rental prices to shoot up and become unaffordable to most local families.” The DUP housing warning comes as Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch calls for Tory councils to launch more legal challenges over the use of hotels for asylum seekers. According to the Mears website, the ‘housing solutions company’ works with the Home Office to provide housing and support to asylum seekers who enter the UK. The group, with more than 5,600 employees, currently provides and manages 17,000 homes for local and central government and is also responsible for maintenance of 750,000 social housing homes across the UK. As of November, Mears has lifted its 2024 forecast to around £1.13bn of revenue and at least £60m in adjusted pre-tax profit. Alderman Porter added: “It is amazing to me that these matters are not covered in the media in Northern Ireland, but as soon as it happens in England it’s all over the media. So, why are Northern Ireland people with concerns over the last four years on housing being treated differently to English people? England is now the story and we know what is going to happen because it has happened here. “My main concern is that the lack of scrutiny over what Mears is doing over the last four years is just disgraceful and the idea that closing off hotels is going to become this panacea when it is actually going to make things worse for local communities.” The UK Home Office responding to the LDRS, states: “Mears Group consults on all accommodation used for asylum dispersal with relevant partners in Northern Ireland, and we maintain active governance forums to discuss issues relating to procurement. “We provide funding to local authorities to support them in meeting the needs of asylum seekers and host communities. Value for money, community cohesion and the well-being of those working and living in asylum accommodation will continue to be at the forefront of decision-making as we continue to explore options.”

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