A Ukrainian father who moved in with a Sheffield family has called private renting a “really big problem”, after a new report revealed how hard it is for those escaping the war torn country to find accommodation.
According to figures released on Tuesday, 45 per cent of Ukranians face barriers when trying to find somewhere to live, as they struggle to secure a guarantor or provide references.
Dmytro Mogylni, 34, who is living in Sheffield after fleeing Ukraine earlier this year with his family, said: “It’s a really big problem because we don’t have credit history, we don’t have a last address in the UK and landlords usually don’t rent to people who have children.”
Mr Mogylni, his partner, Antonina Mohylna, 28, and their 10-month-old son, were offered a place to stay by Kevin Kennedy Ryan, in Walkley, Sheffield, under the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Although their move to the city went relatively smoothly the family are worried finding a home of their own to rent will be difficult.
According to the data released from the UK Humanitarian Response Insight Survey, the number of Ukranians who pay for their own accommodation has increased from six per cent in June this year to 19 per cent over the last two months.
The majority of respondents had entered the UK as part of the government’s Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme, known as Homes for Ukraine.
Mr Mogylni and his family drove 2700 kilometres across Europe from Brovary, a small city outside of Kyiv, to Sheffield.
They arrived at their host’s house within eight days of receiving a call from the Homes for Ukraine scheme.
Mr Ryan, 32, a graphic designer, who agreed to home a family with a child, said: “Some things we thought were going to be complicated have been really straightforward, but other things – which we thought might have been straightforward – have been a little bit more complicated.
“But the Ukraine team from the council has been absolutely brilliant with this; they have been absolutely invaluable.”
Under government guidelines Ukranians who come to the UK under the Homes for Ukraine scheme and Ukraine Family Scheme can apply to stay in the UK for up to three years.
Ukrainian nationals and their families can come to the UK if they have a sponsor who can accommodate them and those fleeing their home country are also allowed to join family members already residing in the UK.
The latest news follows unconfirmed reports that some councils are offering additional cash incentives to those hosting Ukrainians amid concerns of homelessness.
