The number of homeless people being moved from hotel to hotel in Northern Ireland is on the rise, with one mother stating that she feels like a failure to her children. 53-year-old Martine Courtney and her family were put up in emergency accommodation in Banbridge, Glenavy, and more recently, Belfast, forcing them to move from place to place and disrupt work and education schedules. Courtney refused to move to a hotel in Limavady, citing work commitments and childcare, leading her to feel like she is “living in a fishbowl” with no privacy, space, or adequate facilities.
Figures obtained by BBC News NI reveal that the Housing Executive is spending millions of pounds on hotels and B&Bs as the demand for temporary accommodation increases due to the coronavirus pandemic. From April 1 to December 31, 2023, 3,509 placements were made in ‘non-standard accommodation’ where multiple people from the same family or household being placed in multiple settings. The Housing Executive’s spending on hotel and B&Bs has also risen significantly, reaching £7.6m in the financial year 2022/23.
The Housing Executive has stated that there has been an unprecedented number of people requiring temporary accommodation, with non-standard accommodation being used “only in the absence of other suitable options and for as short a duration as possible.” In response to the situation, a spokesperson for the Housing Executive stated that they will “continue to work” with Courtney and her family to secure permanent housing as soon as possible.
Despite requesting a four-bedroom property with ground floor access, Courtney has expressed difficulty in finding permanent housing in areas of high housing demand and low housing turnover, which could cost her at least £3,000 to be able to rent and would need a deposit upfront, a month’s rent in advance, and a guarantor or double the amount. The situation has affected her daughter’s mental health, causing anxiety when having to leave hotels that they have been booked into. The Housing Executive has acknowledged the impact of rising costs in accommodation expenses, which has been exacerbated recently due to the cost of living crisis.
Living out of a suitcase and moving from place to place has affected Courtney’s mental health, causing her to feel like a failure, but she strives to provide a stable home for her children. The process of finding permanent housing has been challenging and harrowing for Courtney, with poor communication from officials about her living arrangements. Despite these difficulties, she remains hopeful for a better future for her and her family
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