HMO bought to house homeless 'empty' and 'unsecure'

Councillors say they are concerned an 18-bed council property is lying empty and unsecured a year after it was acquired to provide temporary accommodation.

Gloucester City Council's Conservative group leader, Stephanie Chambers, and her deputy Sajid Patel, said they were able to enter the house of multiple occupancy (HMO) last month.

Patel said he was "gobsmacked" to find a back door left "wide open" and the property unused while the council was housing many homeless families in B&Bs or hotels.

The Lib Dem-led council said the property was checked weekly, with logs showing it was secured. It said it was currently reassessing its approach to temporary accommodation due to rising costs.

Patel and Chambers filmed themselves looking around the property and said they found a set of door keys in the kitchen.

"I couldn't believe it, I honestly thought I was going to find some people, some squatters, within the property," Patel said.

He said they locked the back door and informed the council's housing team and were later told that the locks had been changed.

The pair said councillors were told the property needed some upgrades, but would be used for temporary accommodation to help reduce the use of hotels and B&Bs.

Chambers said she was concerned the works had not yet been carried out.

"The thought of some family going home, picking their children up from school today, and going back to a hotel room with nothing more than a kettle - it's just devastating," she said.

"That's the human cost when there's this property that could house at least 18 families."

According to the council, as of the end of March, there were 185 households in temporary accommodation in Gloucester, including 103 with children.

Some 40 households were living in B&Bs, with the rest in either hotels or what the council called "self-contained units".

In a statement, the council said: "Traditionally, refurbishing empty properties has offered a sustainable alternative to using hotels and B&Bs, helping to build longer-term housing capacity and reduce reliance on costly nightly accommodation.

"However, the economic landscape is volatile meaning construction and refurbishment costs have risen sharply...

"Given these pressures, we are taking a prudent pause to reassess our approach. This does not mean stepping back from supporting vulnerable residents; it means ensuring that every option - whether refurbishment or temporary accommodation in hotels and B&Bs - is carefully evaluated against current market conditions and the impact on council taxpayers."

Luke Shervey, cabinet member for housing, added: "We must strike a balance between doing the right thing for people who need our help and protecting the public purse."

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