The British Council took strong measures with the intention of dealing with the enormous number of immigrants who are arriving in the territory, one of which involves look for houses that he considers abandoned to rehabilitate them as shelters. But, an elderly couple reported that they were almost forced to sell their home.
In an interview they gave to the media Daily Mail, Jose and Ted Saunders assured that, last January, received a letter from the Consejo de North Northamptonshire which they interpreted as a threat, so they were close to giving up their property to be converted into a shelter for asylum seekers.
The reason why the authorities chose his house located in Rushden is because it was reported as abandoned and empty. Nevertheless, They later accepted that they had made a mistake.
Jose, 76, shared that they had moved to the area to help care for his granddaughter. Luckily they had found a nice little place to live, so he couldn’t believe the letter they had received. “The idea of forcing us to sell to make room for refugees and asylum seekers seems totally wrong to me,” he told the media.
Faced with the situation, Ted, 78, contacted the council. Three days later, they received an apology, explaining that your home had been mistakenly designated as available for a possible compulsory purchase, policy that allows local government to obtain land or property for public use, even without the consent of the owner.
Even though everything was cleared up, the elders feel outraged, and They don’t understand how the city council wants force residents to sell their homes.
What is the British government’s plan to occupy abandoned houses?
The reason why he british government made the decision to look for abandoned houses to turn them into shelters of asylum seekers, does not respond only to the large number of migrants who are arriving in the country, but also to a question of security, they say.
According to the authorities, Empty private properties are a potential cause of blight within communities, as well as a wasted resource at a time when there is a great need for housing.
Thus, in the letter sent to the owners of properties that are classified as abandoned, It is explained that North Northamptonshire Council is tasked with identifying empty properties within the area and encourage the owners to put them back into use or to find alternative options, such as selling.
And, according to the local council, they have been struggling with an increase in immigration, especially of single men to whom they seek to provide suitable housing. That is why its long-term objective is to house them in empty properties, benefiting both the owners, who make money, and the asylum seekers.
It should be said that the situation has been especially difficult in recent months due to the people who are fleeing Ukraine and Afghanistan.
