Labour complains about asylum seeker HMOs being unlicensed

The Labour-run London Assembly says it is concerned about government plans to allow landlords to house asylum seekers for two years without an HMO licence.

It claims this will result in asylum seekers no longer being entitled to various protections including electrical and gas safety certificates, minimum bedroom sizes, and working smoke alarms on every inhabited storey.

It now wants the government to reverse those plans to exempt landlords from HMO licencing requirements when housing asylum seekers, and wants authorities to address the backlog in asylum claims.

Labour Assembly Member Sem Moema says: “It is right that the Assembly makes the case for safe, secure housing for refugees. Removing vital housing protections cannot be the way to achieve this. Licensing for houses of multiple occupation is there to keep people safe; removing this for migrants will put vulnerable people at risk.”

The assembly’s motion says: “London has a proud history of welcoming refugees from across the world and refugees have made vital contributions to life in our city.

“The Assembly notes, with concern, that the plans announced by the Government which would exempt landlords providing houses in multiple accommodation (HMO) accommodation to asylum seekers from obtaining a licence from the local authority for two years.

“This will result in asylum seekers no longer being entitled to various protections including electrical and gas safety certificates, minimum bedroom sizes, and working smoke alarms on every inhabited storey.

“HMO licensing plays a vital role in ensuring that tenants can access safe accommodation and provide landlords with clarity over their responsibilities. We note that properties will continue to be independently inspected by civil servants. However, experts such as Polly Neate, the Chief Executive of Shelter, said: ‘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.’

“The Assembly notes that that under the asylum dispersal model, which was announced in March 2023, London’s boroughs will provide much needed housing and support for 6,344 asylum seekers. But this accommodation should not come at the expense of important housing protections.

“Instead of removing rights from asylum seekers, the Government should focus on addressing the backlog in asylum claims and working to increase the speed at which claims are assessed so that those granted asylum can properly restart their lives.

“Therefore, the Assembly calls on Government to reverse plans to exempt landlords from HMO licencing requirements when housing asylum seekers; to urgently set out how it intends to address the backlog in asylum claims so that asylum seekers can have their status regularised more quickly and restart their lives in the UK.

“The Assembly calls the Mayor of London to write to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, expressing his concern at these plans and requesting that the Government look again at how we can ensure asylum seekers are housed in safe and secure accommodation while their claims are assessed.”