Syrian refugees will live in private rented homes in Scotland

HUNDREDS of refugees offered shelter in Scotland will be housed in private rented homes because of a shortage of public housing.

Scotland has vowed to welcome at least 2,000 Syrian refugees as part of the UK’s response to the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East.

An initial intake of 108 refugees from Lebanon and Syria will be flown to Glasgow on Tuesday.

More than 200 others are expected to arrive by Christmas, with thousands more to follow.

But many towns and cities are facing a housing crisis and are struggling to find enough properties to provide shelter for the refugees.

Now several councils have appealed for vacant properties and are willing to pay ‘market rents’ for private rented housing. But soaring rents may mean turning to the private sector could come at huge cost to councils and the Home Office.

Alp Mehmet, vice-chairman of research body Migration Watch, said: ‘This is the reality of offering to do what you can – it is not simply a case of collecting a few cardigans and providing a bit of food.’

He said that the question of Scotland’s capacity while it faces lengthy social housing waiting lists is a question for the SNP to answer, adding: ‘They were the ones who were saying we should take in more. These are the consequences.

‘There was a commitment and a desire to take in people, fine. But when you do that you should think of the costs to prepare to make their lives tolerable.’

Twenty of Scotland’s 32 councils have agreed to provide accommodation, while others are drawing up plans to take part over five years.

City of Edinburgh Council is preparing for the arrival of 100 refugees in the next year. But it has thousands on social housing waiting lists and so it will instead use its ‘private sector leasing scheme’.

Perth and Kinross Council said it intends to give refuge to 30 people via the private housing sector because it ‘has capacity’, while Renfrewshire Council will take 50 refugees in ‘leased flats’ and Highland Council is appealing to landlords to help provide homes to up to 30 families ‘early in the new year’.

Highland Council has urged private landlords to offer properties ‘for longer term rentals’ to refugees.

East Dunbartonshire Council and Aberdeen City Council said they will ‘consider all accommodation offers’ from landlords.

The average monthly rent for a three-bedroom property was £918 in the third quarter of this year, rising to £1,356 for a four-bed home, according to the Citylets website.

The Home Office estimates it will have to pay councils £8,520 for each refugee, for housing, ‘cultural integration’, social care and language provision. But costs could be even higher if councils pay market rents.

International Development Secretary Humza Yousaf said: ‘The Scottish Government is committed to helping those who are most in need.

‘We’re working closely with Scotland’s 32 local authorities, who stand ready and prepared to welcome vulnerable individuals and families.’