Torbay's sole Afghan refugee property still empty

Home Office fails to find family

The Home Office has been slammed by Torbay Council for letting a property set aside for Afghan refugees sit empty for months.

Following a call from the government to local councils to help house Afghan migrants Torbay Council lodged a two-bedroom property with the Home Office in September but the department has yet to allocate a family to it.

The previous month the Home Office had launched ‘Operation Warm Welcome,’ urging “every council across the country to contribute” to efforts to help house thousands of Afghan refugees brought to the UK after fleeing the Taliban. 

Now, weeks after offering a property, Torbay Council is paying rent for a house with no one in it.  At the same time, it is thought thousands of refugees are in hotels across the UK waiting for the government to allocate them homes. 

Councillor Steve Darling (Liberal Democrats, Barton with Watcombe), leader of the ruling Lib Dem-Independent coalition at Torbay Council, said:  “It is an extreme frustration because I see reports on the telly of those who’ve fled persecution in Afghanistan living in challenging accommodation in hotels elsewhere in the country. That’s not the best place for families to thrive. They need a proper home.”

He said it was a waste of taxpayers money made even more galling by the Bay’s housing crisis. The latest report from Devon Home Choice found that more than 1,400 households are in housing need in Torbay. 

Torbay isn’t the only council annoyed with the government’s slow progress. It’s thought that many properties reserved for Afghan refugees remain empty. Earlier this week, Richmond councillor Piers Allen (Liberal Democrat) said three properties in his West London borough set aside for refugees have yet to have families allocated. 

The situation will be doubly frustrating for Cllr Darling who received heavy criticism in the summer for refusing to allocate Torbay council homes to refugees. A day after the decision hit the headlines, the council called on private landlords to offer homes for rent through the resettlement scheme.

Torbay has offered just one home to the Home Office so far. It is waiting to see if a further four properties put forward by landlords could be suitable for refugees. 

A government spokesperson said: “The government has undertaken the UK’s biggest and fastest emergency evacuation in recent history helping over 15,000 people to safety. 

“There is now a huge effort underway to get families into permanent homes so they can settle and rebuild their lives, and to ensure those still temporarily accommodated in hotels have access to healthcare, education, any essential items they need and employment opportunities or universal credit.

 “The ongoing role of local authorities is vital to these efforts and we are grateful for their continued offers of support and housing but the accommodation offered must meet the needs of those being resettled.”