I spent some of this morning researching some of the issues surrounding housing law in Scotland. Don’t panic; we have not run into problems with our landlord or trashed our apartment. We’re rapidly learning that housing is one of the biggest issues facing some of the refugees that we are coming into contact with. This is especially so for those who have been granted leave to remain in the UK and are now part of the same systems as UK citizens. They may be asked to leave the accommodation provided when they were still “asylum seekers” or they may have very good reasons for wanting to move from it. For example, one North African family, with two young daughters, are currently the only people living in a deserted tower block which is scheduled for demolition. It’s a pretty rough estate anyway, with drug and alcohol problems and racist abuse common place, but to be the only remaining occupants especially as the days are getting shorter would be grim.

Another lady, whose husband is stuck in Iraq, has spoken of the racist abuse that she suffers every time she leaves the building, simply because she is easily identifiable as a Muslim because of her headscarf. If her teenage daughters are just a few minutes late, she is terrified for their safety. It sounds as though she can never really feel at peace in her current accommodation and feels particularly vulnerable because her husband is not around. This has been her only experience of Scotland. She would like to be rehoused but she doubts whether anywhere else that is affordable would be any better and it’s up to her to go and register at the housing associations and be put on waiting list. Her eyes welled up last week talking about it.

Although we have moved quite a lot over the last few years, I do take it for granted that I have somewhere that is my own space where I feel safe, relaxed and comfortable. Although our new flat here is in a pretty lively area, I never have to think twice about going out to the shop or walking to the train or bus. The strain on those without that blessing is enormous, especially where there are children involved.

Hoperfully we can become familiar with the service providers and the system so that we can be of real help. We would also hope that our home will become a place where some of our friends can feel at peace, even if just for a short time over coffee or a meal.