Forum Topic

Syrian family seek flat to rent near WIMBLEDON

A has refugee status and the right to work. He also has a good job as an engineer in WIMBLEDON.His family of a wife and four children under 10 is due to arrive in the next month or so.He would love to find somewhere not too far from where he works, so he can see the babies he has been separated from for a couple of years, when he isn't working.Any ideas? Can you help? Might you have a property to rent out? Do you know anyone who does.please emailinfo@refugeesathome.org if you can help.Many thanks

Sara Nathan ● 2118d47 Comments

I was beginning to lose the will with this post. Thanks Chantal.

Maxine Campbell ● 2111d

Well that makes a change then doesn't it Jane.

Barbara Stevens ● 2116d

NO Barbara you read things properly and think before you go rushing to the keyboard with another confused, infantile response.. Of course it wasn't Sue who mentioned the barge pole. I was responding to Mike Harris and I stated that Sue had acknowledged that the family in question were genuine refugees.

Jane Carter ● 2116d

Jane read things properly and it wasn't as it happens Sue who put nobody would touch them with a barge pole. Get your facts straight before you try and make yourself feel better it was Sue, it was Sue. So childish.

Barbara Stevens ● 2116d

Mike fully agree.

Barbara Stevens ● 2116d

Good constructive suggestion, Chantal.

Jane Carter ● 2116d

Disgraceful response! In fact Sue Hammond acknowledged that this family were genuine refugees. Why would a reputable letting agent not touch this situation wth a barge pole? And FGS if you want to shout about Brexit there are enough threads for you to do so. It is irrelevant here.Sara, please ignore the vitriolic post to which I refer. The vast majority of people on this forum I am sure wish the family well and hope they find suitable accommodation. Thank you for putting the initial post on the forum and good luck

Jane Carter ● 2116d

Sara, in the absence of any offers of accommodation, it might be worth trying the excellent Wimbledon YMCA, whose website indicates that as a stop-gap, genuine applicants might be eligible for their hostel, run by the St Paul's Group charity, if nominated by Merton Council.Wimbledon YMCA - 0208 542 9055

Chantal Blake-Milton ● 2116d

In your opinion.Many refugees have fled Syria as you if you lived there might well have done if your home was bombed.  I seem to remember that some newspapers omitted to mention the translators who were also granted asylum at the same time as the children.

Philippa Bond ● 2117d

As so often on here it is left to Sue Hammond to talk any sense on this forum. The usual suspects then get together to try (and fail) to shut her down. It reminds me of watching Question Time on BBC where they routinely have four remainers to one leaver, to try and give the impression that remaining is the mainstream view, when in fact a clear majority wanted and still want to leave.I suspect the original post here, was put up  because no reputable letting agent would touch this situation with a barge pole. They clearly hope that some of the bleeding heart liberals on here will put their rental properties where their mouth is.

Mike Harris ● 2117d

It's a bit like saying there are white Brits in prison for atrocious murders, therefore all white Brits need to be watched as if they are murderers … absolute rubbish!!

Bunny Payne ● 2117d

I always think saying what you mean is a very positive attribute Freddie. Do you think lying is a better option?At least all these posts are keeping Sara's thread at the top.

Sue Hammond ● 2117d

I’m fully aware of the story and full marks for bringing that up in connection with a post about an unrelated family and a request for help finding paid for accommodation. If you think saying what you mean is a positive attribute then someone should have explained how restraint and better judgement might serve you better. Please save us from the Line about how you don’t give a toss what people think of you, we all know that. 🙄

Freddie Francis ● 2117d

@FreddieIt wasn't a loaded, it was actual. I always say what I mean.Some of the 'child' refugees were indeed adult men. Can you deny the facts?

Sue Hammond ● 2117d

And if Rose did that she'd be risking a libel suit.Rabid? I don't see what a neurotropic virus has to do with racism!

Simon Knight ● 2117d

Oh Rose 🤗 you'll now be asked for names!

Lucille Grant ● 2117d

Everything to do with this but what about the kind people of Putney who put up with rabid racists on their midst?

Rose Compton ● 2117d

Sunbury they lived.

Barbara Stevens ● 2117d

Sunbury they lived.

Barbara Stevens ● 2117d

Nothing to do with this only what about the kind old couple who fostered children and one was the one I think who put the explosives on the Parsons Green train. We hear so much and think so much.

Barbara Stevens ● 2117d

You post “I am quite sure there are genuine refugees from Syria Bunny and they're not all adult men masquerading as children” and then deny that wasn’t a loaded comment? More of the same old...

Freddie Francis ● 2117d

Please explain.

Sue Hammond ● 2117d

More disingenuous rubbish.

Freddie Francis ● 2117d

I missed that Freddie. Who actually said "they are scroungers looking for a free ride"? Thankyou.

Sue Hammond ● 2117d

The original post was asking if anyone knew of a flat or house for let. Sadly predictable that a few regulars jump to the conclusion that they are scrounges looking for a free ride. Some of you have no humanity.

Freddie Francis ● 2117d

Barbara, no-one is being forced to let anyone into their homes. No need to worry.The simple question asked is if anyone knows of somewhere suitable for a Syria refugee family to rent.

Lucille Grant ● 2117d

Me too Caroline. Would there be the same vitriol posted if it was a family from Hull or Glasgow or Dublin or elsewhere in Europe perhaps?

Lucille Grant ● 2117d

Hello again Jane,Here are some more links.  Some of those pictured do look to me to be over 17 years of age but would most certainly welcome being corrected.The image I have in my mind from the news on TV is a group walking away from the ferry into the main building.  Could not find photographs of this unfortunately.https://www.buzzfeed.com/rosebuchanan/first-refugee-children-arrive-in-the-uk-from-calais-jungle-chttps://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/calais-jungle-child-refugees-age-controversy-dubs-amendment-unaccompanied-minors-migrants-a7376151.htmlBut this certainly shows childrenhttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-34329459

Ivonne Holliday ● 2117d

Caroline, also people on the Forum might let their minds run away with them, but could also be worried who they let in to their homes.

Barbara Stevens ● 2117d

Do you know that they haven't approached letting agencies?A simple question asking whether anyone knows of a flat to let has deteriorated into a mish-mash of speculation - some of it really quite unpleasant. Sometimes I despair of this Forum.

Caroline Whitehead ● 2117d

Hello Jane,It was on the news when the first contingent of children arrived from a refugee camp I think during Theresa May's government, following UK's undertaking that it would admit cannot remember how many refugees.In my mind, children are probably up to 16 - 17 years old.  I remember my dismay when watching the news and some of the so-called children looked older than this, clean shaven, smart and well groomed.I just looked it up and found these articles.  I may be wrong, but some of them look older than 17 to me.  https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3843900/First-migrant-children-arrive-UK-Calais-French-prepare-raze-Jungle-camp-ground.htmlhttps://www.ibtimes.co.uk/first-group-children-refugees-calais-camp-reunite-families-uk-1587008https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2019803/first-girl-migrant-from-calais-jungle-camp-arrives-in-uk-amid-furore-over-adult-looking-child-refugees/

Ivonne Holliday ● 2117d

Sara why are you asking people on Putney Forum if they have  accommodation for them with a large family they would have to pay a large amount. Why have they not gone to a Letting Agency there are enough in Putney.

Barbara Stevens ● 2117d

I'm afraid Jane it might have been a while ago but one was arrested as he was more like forty and I can still see his face. They had no proof when they came into the country of their age.

Barbara Stevens ● 2117d

Yvonne, to what film are you referring? Previous complaints on this forum centred on the fact that a few of the Syrian asylum seekers had the beginnings of beards and so were not children - a claim that was rightly dismissed. Where were these smart, clean shaven 'children' ?

Jane Carter ● 2117d

Sarah, I wish A and his family all the very best.  I hope they can find suitable accommodation soon and live very happily as a family again - even if the English winter is coming...

Ivonne Holliday ● 2118d

To be fair Freddie, I think the comment related to children being allowed into the UK and, when filmed, the "children" were about 22 or 24 years old, clean shaven, well dressed and smart haircuts...

Ivonne Holliday ● 2118d

Considering the state of this country I can't imagine that anyone would choose to be here unless life in Syria was a lot worse.  Syria is a beautiful country and every refugee I've met has always hoped to be able to return to their homeland.  I think many people living here forget or are just ignorant of there forebears.

Philippa Bond ● 2118d

And given the poke about men posing as children I think I can assume it was another snide comment. Sometimes it’s better to err on the old ‘if you can’t say something nice’ approach but some can’t resist.

Freddie Francis ● 2118d

@Simon. I was referring to the comment from Sue Hammond. Take that as you will.

Freddie Francis ● 2118d

No, I don't think an engineer, with a job, a wife and four kids would fall into that category!!!

Bunny Payne ● 2118d

I am quite sure there are genuine refugees from Syria Bunny and they're not all adult men masquerading as children.

Sue Hammond ● 2118d

Syrians are refugees for a reason, they have been killed in their thousands and their homes have been bombed.  They're not all terrorists, in fact they've probably been terrorised.  It would be helpful is some people in the UK could read up on the history of Syria.

Bunny Payne ● 2118d

That's the way it works Adam.

Sue Hammond ● 2118d

I guess there must be a lot more to this story, but if I was Syrian and had a wife and 4 children under 10, I couldn't imagine leaving them in another country to become a refugee in the UK (unless of course I knew for sure that they would only be days or weeks behind me)

Adam Tripp ● 2118d

I think Sara is concerned...why else her post?

Simon Knight ● 2118d

Genuine concern? Somehow I doubt it.

Freddie Francis ● 2118d

Good luck with that one.

Sue Hammond ● 2118d