Serco’s Lock Change Eviction Letters Target Asylum Seekers With Live Asylum Claims
Callous start to lock change evictions in Glasgow
News: Serco targets first lock-change evictions in Glasgow at most vulnerable: women, the elderly and those with ongoing asylum claims.
Tuesday, 25 June 2019
Tim listens to Kidist, 34, from Eritrea, who has just been told to leave her accommodation by Serco today, June 25, despite having a live ongoing appeal in place , and an appointment with the Home Office scheduled for on October 4, 2019. Serco gave her the wrong information about her status on two occasions and incorrect advice about what to do next. Kidist's MP Paul Sweeney is stepping in on her behalf to challenge the Home Office and Serco.
Evidence has begun to emerge of Rupert Soames' Serco organisation sending lock change eviction letters to asylum seekers with ongoing cases, as well as inaccurate information about people's rights. This is contrary to Serco's publicly stated position that it would not target those with ongoing asylum cases. Positive Action in Housing has seen documentary evidence of eviction letters and ongoing legal cases.
Kidiste is a 34 year old woman from Eritrea. She lives in Paul Sweeney MP's Constituency. Serco sent her an eviction letter dated 12 June 2019 telling her to leave her accommodation by 25 June. The letter wrongly stated that she had received a positive decision. It also incorrectly advised her that she must leave and should apply to Glasgow City Council for rehousing. Kidiste's hopes were raised that she had got refugee status. A week later, Serco sent Kidiste another letter dated 19 June 2019, again telling her to leave by 25 June. This time, the letter wrongly stated that her asylum claim was refused and that she must leave her accommodation. In fact, Kidiste has an ongoing asylum claim. She is due to attend a Further Submissions Appointment in Liverpool on October 4, 2019. Kidiste's claim for asylum is based on her Eritrean nationality and the fact that as a Pentecostal Christian, she would be at risk of persecution should she return.
Mohammed is a 72 year old gentleman who arrived here seven years ago and lives in First Minister Nicola Sturgeon's constituency (and Stewart McDonald MP). He is an Iraqi National but lived most of his life in Syria. He left Syria when the war started. He lost contact with his wife and children in Europe and is in Glasgow alone. He speaks Arabic. Serco sent Mohammed a "lock change" eviction letter dated June 19 2019 telling him to leave by July 2 2019. Mohammed has a serious heart condition for which he has had a heart operation. He also has a problem with his spine and breathing problems which leave him bedridden most of each day. He is particularly vulnerable due to his age, ill health and English not being his first language. He is traumatised by his experiences. We are concerned that he will be unable to safeguard his own well-being, and is at risk of neglect. Positive Action in Housing has asked Glasgow City Council's Social Work Department to carry out a Community Care Assessment and is seeking out possible legal support.
Fatou, 58, from Gambia has just received a letter from Serco dated 21 June 2019 telling her that her entitlement to support ends on the 23rd June, in less than two days. She also lives in Paul Sweeney's Constituency. If she leaves her accommodation she will be made absolutely destitute. Yet Fatou's Section 4 application is underway and her legal case is ongoing. Fatou reluctantly left Gambia to ensure her daughters cannot be subject to FGM practices.
NOTE TO ASYLUM SEEKERS: If you receive a "lock change" eviction letter from Serco, please contact our casework team on 0141 353 2220 and ask for an emergency appointment. Bring any legal/housing/ medical paperwork with you to the appointment. We will assist you in case Serco tries to evict you. We will help you prepare a Section 4 application and find legal/housing expertise to challenge Serco. We will also contact your MP/MPs to complain, and apply for crisis support. We can lodge a formal complaint with Serco and the Home office. For more info please email home@positiveactionh.org
Robina Qureshi of Positive Action in Housing said:
"We are concerned at the callous way in which Serco is executing these evictions.
"One lady has been told by Serco her Home Office support ends in just a couple of days.
"An elderly gentleman spent most of his life in Syria and left when the war started, losing his family in the process. He is very sick due to a heart condition but has been told to get out as well. How can Serco justify ejecting a man who is on his sick bed?
"Another young woman from Eritrea was given wrong decisions about her asylum case and incorrect advice twice to another lady. She has an active legal case, but Serco has told her to get out today. Who else are they issuing wrong decisions to? It makes us very wary.
"Serco appears to be treating individuals with complex cases like one homogeneous mass. This is likely to lead to unjust decisions and vulnerable people with a genuine reason to be here being ejected from their accommodation. As a landlord, Serco is ill equipped to pass judgement on someone's asylum status. Walking unannounced into someone's accommodation and rummaging through their private belongings does not make them an immigration officer.
"The people they are attempting to evict are not subject to deportation orders. Their Home Office support has stopped for now but that does not mean their cases are "failed". They can still engage with the legal process, and apply for support to be reinstated. Appeals and Judicial Reviews do happen and are often successful.
"Rupert Soames promised that Serco would respect the judgment of the Court of Session. Yet the Court of Sessions proceedings are ongoing. Mr Soames appears to have gone back on his word and seems to be in a race to empty his houses. Lord Tyre ought to take cognisance of the way Serco is behaving right now towards vulnerable people on the ground."
Full civil legal aid has now been granted by the Scottish Legal Aid Board which will enable the Inner House appeal in Ali v. Serco Ltd, Compass SNI Ltd and the Secretary of State for the Home Department to proceed forthwith.
What we are doing and how you can help
In response to the crisis, Positive Action in Housing's Lifeline Service is working harder than ever to provide proactive homelessness advice, help to prepare Section 4 applications, emergency crisis grants or shelter to people living in fear of destitution.
We are offering appointments Mondays to Thursdays 10 am-12 noon & 2 pm-3 pm. Anyone facing eviction, or their adviser, can call Positive Action in Housing on 0141 353 2220 and ask for an emergency appointment .
A toolkit is also being devised.
A further meeting is taking place on Thursday 27 June 2019 to discuss developments.
We will be working very hard to support everyone who is affected by this crisis.
If you live in Glasgow, and have a spare room available for a few weeks, sign up at www.roomforrefugees.com and we will screen safely and match you with someone who needs breathing space to decide their options
In aid of destitute refugee and asylum seeking men and women in Glasgow, many of whom are fleeing war in Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, and elsewhere.
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