Illegal Migrants Arriving by Boat Set to Receive Free Luxury Hotel Stays in Controversial New Move!

Serco currently provides housing for about 30,000 asylum seekers across 7,000 properties throughout the UK. Recently, landlords have strongly criticised Labour’s policy of housing asylum seekers in private rented properties, calling it “immoral.”

This criticism arose after Serco, a private company contracted by the Home Office, offered landlords guaranteed rent for five years if they agreed to house asylum seekers. The policy aims to reduce the huge cost—currently billions of pounds—spent on accommodating migrants in hotels due to a sharp rise in Channel crossings.

Landlords have expressed serious concerns about renting their properties to people they cannot personally screen. An event planned by Serco at a luxury hotel in the Malvern Hills, meant to attract more landlords to join the scheme, was cancelled following backlash. Landlords had voiced strong ethical objections and fears over tenant vetting.

Tim Prourban, a landlord from Stratford-upon-Avon with more than 20 years’ experience, described the scheme as morally wrong, saying, “I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.” He added that he personally could not justify giving housing preference to asylum seekers over working families contributing to the economy. Prourban mentioned previous negative experiences, including property damage by migrant tenants.

Amanda Johnson-Clarke, who manages around 40 properties in Margate and Hertfordshire, also spoke out against the policy. She described it as “completely morally irresponsible,” arguing it encourages more people to undertake dangerous journeys across the Channel by effectively promising them accommodation upon arrival. Johnson-Clarke feared backlash from neighbours and other landlords if she rented to tenants she couldn’t personally approve, suggesting this policy might attract irresponsible landlords motivated purely by profit.

Greg Tsuman, from Martyn Gerrard Estate Agents, warned landlords to be cautious about the contracts involved, noting they could be heavily weighted in favour of the government and Serco. Ben Beadle of the National Residential Landlords Association criticised the government for sending mixed messages—on one hand pushing for more housing investment, while on the other discouraging landlords by policies like these.

The government currently spends as little as £14 per night housing asylum seekers in private properties, significantly cheaper than £145 per night in hotels. The scheme itself was introduced over ten years ago under a previous Conservative government.

Last year, Chancellor Rachel Reeves highlighted that the £4.6 billion spent annually on hotels for migrants was contributing significantly to the UK’s economic challenges.

Following concerns raised about a published list of towns where Serco operates, the Home Office clarified the list was historical, relating to existing Serco contracts, and did not reflect any future plans for new housing.

A Serco spokesperson confirmed this, stating that the listed councils simply represent areas already covered by the company’s long-standing agreement with the government, rather than indicating future expansion. The government has stressed it is actively working to reduce taxpayer costs by speeding up asylum decisions and removing migrants who do not have the right to remain in the UK.