Family occupying £2m house in London on Housing Benefit!

Coventry Evening Telegraph

A DECISION to allow a Coventry family to rent a £2million house in London – paid for by the taxpayer – has sparked criticism.

The Khaliif family, who fled war-torn Somalia, hit the headlines after it was revealed by a Sunday paper they had moved from Coventry to a six-bedroom house in West Hampstead with a rent of £8,000 a month, reported to be paid for by housing benefit.

However, it is unclear whether the family are refugees or asylum seekers, which affects whether they can work.

The family had previously been living in a home in Binley Road, Coventry, where the rent was reported to be about £1,000 a month. But Saeed Khaliif, 49, his wife Sayida and their children wanted to move to the capital to be near relatives.

Their former landlord Raj Sahal, who rented the family the Binley Road house, said he was shocked to see they had been given such an expensive house in London.

“I’m staggered to think they have got such a property.

“They clearly know the system,” he said. “It’s disconcerting in these hard times when housing is short that this can happen.”

He said the family had been referred to the letting agency he uses by the Coventry Refugee Centre.

He added they had not paid the last month’s rent on their Binley Road house and had left some damage.

Members of the public were also quick to criticise the decision on the websites of national newspapers while Camden councillor Chris Knight, whose ward covers the new house, said: “It seems daft that we have people from this area who we can’t house but are spending £8,000 on rent for ­someone from outside Camden.”

But Donna Covey, chief executive of the Refugee Council, which provides support for refugees, said although she could not comment on individual cases if the family are asylum seekers they will have faced many difficulties.

She said: “Most asylum seekers fleeing conflict or persecution have left their countries at very short notice, so they often arrive in the UK with very little money or belongings.

"As they are not allowed to work they are forced to rely on a small amount of support from the state, and if they are homeless, they are usually housed on a no choice basis by the authorities.

“One solution would be to allow asylum seekers to work – this would not only allow them to contribute to British society, but would also be to the benefit of the taxpayer.”

Unbelievable.

As they are not allowed to work they are forced to rely on a small amount of support from the state, and if they are homeless, they are usually housed on a no choice basis by the authorities.

I don't consider £8K a month in Housing Benefit 'a small amount of support from the state'. This country really does have it's priorities wrong.

chrissie wrote:Unbelievable.

As they are not allowed to work they are forced to rely on a small amount of support from the state, and if they are homeless, they are usually housed on a no choice basis by the authorities.

I don't consider £8K a month in Housing Benefit 'a small amount of support from the state'. This country really does have it's priorities wrong.

And how come a house in West Hampstead is what's on offer? I wish that was my only option!

AnnaEsse wrote:

chrissie wrote:Unbelievable.

As they are not allowed to work they are forced to rely on a small amount of support from the state, and if they are homeless, they are usually housed on a no choice basis by the authorities.

I don't consider £8K a month in Housing Benefit 'a small amount of support from the state'. This country really does have it's priorities wrong.

And how come a house in West Hampstead is what's on offer? I wish that was my only option!

Exactly. It states that they wanted to move to London to be near relatives, I honestly just don't get why this is allowed.

chrissie wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

chrissie wrote:Unbelievable.

As they are not allowed to work they are forced to rely on a small amount of support from the state, and if they are homeless, they are usually housed on a no choice basis by the authorities.

I don't consider £8K a month in Housing Benefit 'a small amount of support from the state'. This country really does have it's priorities wrong.

And how come a house in West Hampstead is what's on offer? I wish that was my only option!

Exactly. It states that they wanted to move to London to be near relatives, I honestly just don't get why this is allowed.

Neither do I. They had been provided with accommodation in Coventry and just wanting to be near relatives is not a good enough reason, I reckon, for moving the family into a £2m house in one of London's most expensive areas.

I've just booked a flight to Somalia to escape strife and riot torn UK...perhaps me and Mrs S can get a £8000 house out there free gratis....not to forget some extra dosh to spend on necessities like food and drink.

What a disgusting mess this country has degenerated into...our own people on subsistence levels, fuel costs escalate daily thousands of our pensioners freeze in the winter having to make do with a £100 fuel handout and the government in their wisdom allow migrants/refugees/asylum seekers in treat them as millionaires....Try doing this in Germany, France or any other EU state.

Sort it out Cameron... You're appearing as bad as Blair and Brown ever were when giving away our resources to anyone but the indigenous people here who voted you in.

Thats it Im moving to the Uk. To be near my relatives. Oh wait, ive no relatives in the Uk. Anyone want to offer to be my relative so I can get a nice house to let the tax payer pay for my house.

I'll be your granddad if you like Antionette.... If me and Mrs S (your new granny) can sell up and move in with you....

I COULD BE YOUR LONG LOST GREAT-GREAT-GREAT-GREAT NEPHEW.

AnnaEsse wrote:

chrissie wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

chrissie wrote:Unbelievable.

As they are not allowed to work they are forced to rely on a small amount of support from the state, and if they are homeless, they are usually housed on a no choice basis by the authorities.

I don't consider £8K a month in Housing Benefit 'a small amount of support from the state'. This country really does have it's priorities wrong.

And how come a house in West Hampstead is what's on offer? I wish that was my only option!

Exactly. It states that they wanted to move to London to be near relatives, I honestly just don't get why this is allowed.

Neither do I. They had been provided with accommodation in Coventry and just wanting to be near relatives is not a good enough reason, I reckon, for moving the family into a £2m house in one of London's most expensive areas.

It is a ludicrous (to coin an overused term) system simply solved by capping payments to a reasonable rent that the State is prepared to pay. It's not rocket science.

Antoinette wrote:Thats it Im moving to the Uk. To be near my relatives. Oh wait, ive no relatives in the Uk. Anyone want to offer to be my relative so I can get a nice house to let the tax payer pay for my house.

We've got a lot of Irish McNallys in the family. Would you like to be a cousin?

Chris wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

chrissie wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

chrissie wrote:Unbelievable.

As they are not allowed to work they are forced to rely on a small amount of support from the state, and if they are homeless, they are usually housed on a no choice basis by the authorities.

I don't consider £8K a month in Housing Benefit 'a small amount of support from the state'. This country really does have it's priorities wrong.

And how come a house in West Hampstead is what's on offer? I wish that was my only option!

Exactly. It states that they wanted to move to London to be near relatives, I honestly just don't get why this is allowed.

Neither do I. They had been provided with accommodation in Coventry and just wanting to be near relatives is not a good enough reason, I reckon, for moving the family into a £2m house in one of London's most expensive areas.

It is a ludicrous (to coin an overused term) system simply solved by capping payments to a reasonable rent that the State is prepared to pay. It's not rocket science.

I thought they were capping payments and this meant that a lot of people, especially in areas of London, were going to have to move out of homes they had occupied for years?

AnnaEsse wrote:

Chris wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

chrissie wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

And how come a house in West Hampstead is what's on offer? I wish that was my only option!

Exactly. It states that they wanted to move to London to be near relatives, I honestly just don't get why this is allowed.

Neither do I. They had been provided with accommodation in Coventry and just wanting to be near relatives is not a good enough reason, I reckon, for moving the family into a £2m house in one of London's most expensive areas.

It is a ludicrous (to coin an overused term) system simply solved by capping payments to a reasonable rent that the State is prepared to pay. It's not rocket science.

I thought they were capping payments and this meant that a lot of people, especially in areas of London, were going to have to move out of homes they had occupied for years?

I believe housing benefit is subject to a formula cap but if this family are asylum seekers they are probably not entitled to housing benefit. Benefits are via the National Asylum Support Service.

Chris wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

Chris wrote:

AnnaEsse wrote:

chrissie wrote:

Exactly. It states that they wanted to move to London to be near relatives, I honestly just don't get why this is allowed.

Neither do I. They had been provided with accommodation in Coventry and just wanting to be near relatives is not a good enough reason, I reckon, for moving the family into a £2m house in one of London's most expensive areas.

It is a ludicrous (to coin an overused term) system simply solved by capping payments to a reasonable rent that the State is prepared to pay. It's not rocket science.

I thought they were capping payments and this meant that a lot of people, especially in areas of London, were going to have to move out of homes they had occupied for years?

I believe housing benefit is subject to a formula cap but if this family are asylum seekers they are probably not entitled to housing benefit. Benefits are via the National Asylum Support Service.

As soon as they receive indefinite right to remain, I think they are then entitled to Housing Benefit.

malena stool wrote:I'll be your granddad if you like Antionette.... If me and Mrs S (your new granny) can sell up and move in with you....

Woohoo Im packing my bags now. Knowing my luck I would be handed a 2 bedroom flat

Antoinette wrote:

malena stool wrote:I'll be your granddad if you like Antionette.... If me and Mrs S (your new granny) can sell up and move in with you....

Woohoo Im packing my bags now. Knowing my luck I would be handed a 2 bedroom flat

Me and granny want the room farthest away from the street noise.....