Our Housing Justice Organiser, Jawad Anjum, writes about the cruelty of asylum accommodation and how our members are demanding better living conditions.
It takes courage to stand up to a landlord who doesn’t treat their tenants fairly. Will they hike up the rent? Will I get evicted?
It’s even harder when it’s not entirely clear who your landlord is and you’ve not met them.
For our members living in asylum accommodation- it can feel impossible to speak out without fearing it will harm you. Asylum accommodation including hotel sites- run by private profiteers like Clearsprings – are riddled with problems: from bed bug infestations, substandard food and a lack of privacy.
When people raise their voice to complain, it goes unheard. When the people who hold the power are invisible, it’s unclear how you can make real change happen.
So when one of our members, Madiha*, wanted to improve the conditions for her and her family and others living in their accommodation – we wanted to support them.
Overcrowding, bed bugs and isolation
Madiha joined the Migrants Organise Housing Group. The group is a powerful space where people gather to share their stories and experiences. The group has held exhibitions and public actions to raise awareness of conditions in Home Office accommodation and to demand an end to the outsourcing of asylum accommodation to companies like Clearsprings.
When Madhia met the group she was incredibly frustrated at the way she was being treated in her Clearsprings run accommodation. She had been living there for over three years, with her husband, newborn and young child.
Madhia said: “For three years in the hotel it has been very hard, especially with kids in one small room. During that period I suffered a lot. I suffered from bed bugs a lot during and after my pregnancy- I had changed rooms many times. This affected me mentally. And I felt I had no hope. My children didn’t even have a small place to play. And the food was not nice for children..”
Madiha shared with the group how her family members had suffered significant infections due to ongoing bed bug bites. We were shocked to hear how her 3 year old daughter and newborn baby were treated in A&E after being bitten repeatedly in their bed.
Silenced and ignored
She reported the distressing effects of this on her family’s health to Clearsprings but was ignored for months on end. Many others had similar experiences but were treated with the same negligence and dismissed when they tried to complain.
Other residents shared how their children had no space to play or do their schoolwork. Residents felt powerless because of the lack of communication and accountability from Clearsprings and the Home Office. Other residents reported staff members entering their rooms without any warning or notice to take photos of the room without any clear explanation as to why.
Speaking out, together
Encouraged by the Migrants Organise Housing Group, Madhia went back to her room to make a plan. She spoke to others facing similar issues and motivated them to act as well.
They shared stories to each other and began to feel more united, with the courage to act.
Many of them had made repeated complaints before, but this time they had power in numbers. They decided to direct their letter of demands to the management and present it to them in person.
In February 2025, they came together and did just that. Fifteen of the hotel residents demanded to speak to the manager. They gave testimonies of their experiences at the hotel and presented collective complaints demanding they address their concerns.
The energy from the residents on that day was electric. Solidarity in action gives confidence to everyone involved to demand better.
Since that day, we have seen some action but there is still work to be done. Clearsprings, unsurprisingly have kept communication to a minimum but as a result of Madiha’s and other efforts, we began seeing improvements even in a nearby hotel as well. It has caught the attention of the local MP who we hope to work with further.
Join us!
Despite numerouos media reports and investigations exposing the unsafe and dismal conditions in Clearsprings managed accommodations, the Home Office continues to award Clearsprings £996 million in contracts for their provision of “safe, secure and warm” asylum accommodation until 2029.
But for Migrants Organise members, the reality of Clearsprings accommodation is anything but “safe” or “secure”—it’s distress and fear.
That’s why our members, the majority of whom are trapped in the asylum system, are taking action. Please show our members that you stand in solidarity with them by sending a letter of their collective demands to Clearsprings.
The Migrants Organise Housing Justice campaign is demanding safe and decent housing for all. It’s time to put people over profit and join us in our fight for homes for all. Get in touch: jawad@migrantsorganise.org
*Name changed to protect identity
