Some years ago, during a Brighton and Hove City Council meeting I asked the question, “how much does the council spend each year to safeguard empty properties from trespass?” No reply was ever received. With people living on the streets in all weathers I found it appalling to see empty properties boarded up.

Boarded up properties are now a thing of the past and the reason is the introduction of property guardians, used all over the country in properties that are in between uses, an alternative to 24/7 security which has high costs and to deter squatters.

A Property Guardian applicant must be in full-time employment, or self-employed, earning £18,000 or more annually and without dependents with whom they wish to reside (children or pets). The rents being on average 60% lower, compared to the local area, guardianship makes an attractive alternative living solution for working professionals but not an option for the neediest in society and you can be moved on with only 28 days’ notice.

A vacant commercial property is usually a dead loss to landowners. Unless they redevelop it, they continue to pay high business rates while receiving no rent. By installing property guardians - and basic facilities such as temporary showers and kitchens - owners can reclassify buildings as domestic, slashing their business rates. How does this help bankrupt councils?

The companies that operate these schemes are thriving, making profits by turning former public sector buildings into substandard accommodation. 

It is wrong that these companies are profiting from the misery of homelessness and local councils taking the easy option.

Then there are the greed driven Airbnb property owners they could play a part in easing the misery of the homeless by offering accommodation at affordable rents.

Then we have Government issuing lucrative contracts to Hotels to house migrants and in the process turfing out homeless people who have been placed there by the authorities to provide them with a safe space.

Then we have the new student accommodation investment which has taken over from the buy-to-let market, many students are not taking them up because of pricing and rent inflated charges. The homeless, thousands of which are veterans, could be put in these properties on a temporary basis.

Too many people grabbing a slice of the misery cake AKA homelessness.

The UK will never ever get on top of the demand for housing if it continues with its present uncontrolled immigration policy. Immigration must be rigorously controlled to stabilise housing demand. Homelessness must become a thing of the past it is not too much to expect a roof over your head and a place to call your own in the twenty first century in this country.

Patricia Mountain

UK Independence Party – Spokeswoman for Housing