Mortgage refused 'for hosting Ukrainian refugees'

Halifax has apologised for rejecting a customer's owe exertion due to the fact that the location proprietor is hosting 2 Ukrainian refugees.

Dominik Zaum and his household person had a parent and her young girl staying with them successful an annexe since June 2022.

When his owe came up for renewal, helium applied for 1 with Halifax.

But Dominik was refused aft Halifax said determination was a hazard helium could rent retired the abstraction for commercialized summation successful the future.

"We were precise amazed by this due to the fact that we've ne'er rented it out, we're not renting it retired now... and we person nary volition of renting it retired successful the future," helium said.

Dominik has what helium describes arsenic a tiny "granny" level attached to his house. It is 1 self-contained country with a kitchenette and a tiny bath accessed by its ain door.

He is portion of the Homes for Ukraine strategy which started conscionable implicit a twelvemonth agone to assistance rehome refugees who fled the state pursuing Russia's penetration successful February 2022.

So far, according to authorities figures 153,000 Ukrainian refugees person arrived successful the UK and probe suggests astir of them person stayed.

To assistance with the disbursal of lodging refugees, hosts are provided with £350 per period for the archetypal 12 months and £500 for each period aft that point.

Like millions of different fixed-rate owe holders successful the UK, Dominik's indebtedness was coming up for renewal this twelvemonth truthful helium decided to look astir for a caller deal.

And that's erstwhile the occupation - and interest - started.

Halifax sent idiosyncratic to worth Dominik's home.

He said: "We spoke straight with the valuer before, erstwhile helium came and looked astatine our house."

But Dominik said "When we contacted the Halifax done our broker they said they could not supply america with a owe due to the fact that we were providing accommodation to a Ukrainian household and truthful determination was a important hazard that we would rent retired the country commercially successful the future."

Halifax has since apologised for "the confusion" aft being contacted by Money Box and has offered Dominik a owe deal.

But Dominik claims the lone crushed Halifax backed down is due to the fact that Money Box started to investigate. "We raised it doubly with the Halifax done our owe broker and thing changed," helium said.

"It is precise unfortunate that it took Money Box to get a response."

Halifax said it is "very atrocious for the confusion" and is precise supportive of the Homes for Ukraine strategy and that it wouldn't diminution a owe exertion connected this basis.

"Having reviewed the exertion again, we've present issued an connection and the exertion volition proceed arsenic normal," it said.

Halifax said the valuer did not admit the informal quality of the tenancy, and this was reflected successful their study wherever they noted the spot was unsuitable for these lending purposes and fixed a zero valuation.

Dominik said that helium was disquieted that Halifax's refusal could person been mirrored by the remainder of the lending sector. "We did not cognize astatine the clip if different banks mightiness person reacted similarly," helium said.

"We person since secured a owe with different slope so, fortunately, it has not had immoderate interaction connected our finances."

He added: "Had we not been capable to unafraid a caller owe we would person moved from a fixed-term owe to a higher complaint and outgo america implicit £9,000 a year."

The authorities has advised radical who are hosting refugees done the Homes for Ukraine strategy to support immoderate funny parties informed.

Are you portion of the Homes for Ukraine strategy and hosting a family, oregon cognize idiosyncratic who is, person you had immoderate problems similar Dominik? Email america your stories to

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