Response to Mears Group commitment to end lock-change evictions of Glasgow asylum seekers

17 Sept 2019 In response to the news that Mears Group’s reported plans not to evict without a court order, Robina Qureshi, Director of Positive Action in Housing said:

We welcome the reported news that Mears Group will not evict asylum seekers in Home Office accommodation without a court order. If its true, then this is a victory for human rights, it would bring new refugees and asylum seekers the same rights as anyone else, that is, not be evicted without due process or a court order.

This was all we wanted, that people should not be subjected to mass evictions, that they are allowed due process before a decision as serious as eviction is taken.

Mears’ decision flies in the face of the Home Office which has attempted to divide society based on where someone is from. It means people not being too frightened to go to the doctors or their lawyers or to college or to drop children at school, in case a housing officer sneaks into their home while they’re out, changes the locks and dumping half their belongings into black bags.

However, questions still remain. If the Court of Session decides that asylum seekers can be evicted without a court order, what then? Will Mears change its approach?

The Mears approach is a privilege for new refugees and asylum seekers at present – it is not a right. Will that privilege be withdrawn later on? There is also reference to Mears paying for legal representation for asylum seekers, but there is a conflict of interest there, they are a landlord offering legal representation to their tenants.

We would have worries about a landlord being so closely aligned to its tenants’ legal case. Does Meers decide when a case is exhausted? What if the asylum seeker still thinks they have a chance to try again, and push for evidence to be gathered for one more hearing? will Mears tolerate that? We still need the Court of Session to decide on this matter and give clarity on this.

There are still around 100 people who secured interim interdicts against Serco , those hearings are only now being scheduled, and people could still be evicted, if court orders are granted. But at least if it is an eviction, it will be regulated and can be challenged. Certainly, these court actions are costing Rupert Soames’ SERCO organisation millions of pounds, and he might have been better advised not to embark on such a callous course of action in turning vulnerable people out on to the street

https://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/17906970.new-contractor-commits-ending-lock-change-evictions-glasgow-asylum-seekers/