Thread by @gemmagould

Clearsprings Ready Homes Ltd has a gov contract worth £1billion to provide housing for refugees and asylum seekers for the Home Office in Wales and S England which is due to expire in 2029. But who are they?
Please note it's not in order or likely complete
A thread /1

Clearsprings Ltd have been providing “ready to move in” homes for central and local government since 2000 (more on this later) /2

In 2009 they won a contract to operate all Approved Houses for those on bail. They opened more than 160 premises. They were accused of failing to consult the local councils properly over the accommodation /3

In 2012 they won a contract to exclusively proved housing for asylum seekers in Wales, the contract was worth £119mill as of 2016. Accommodation in Wales has been described as “dire living conditions” /4

In 2015 the company was investigated by HM Revenue and Customs relating to its taxes; it later paid more than £200,000 in a settlement. /5

Clearsprings were fined £60,000 in 2021 for offences relating to a property in Newport which included failing to maintain fire alarms. /6

The company's directors were paid £7 million in dividends in 2021 as they reported a £4.4 million annual profit, and nearly £28 million in 2022, as company profits increased to more than £28 million /7

In 2016 at a temp accommodation (Lynx House) in Cardiff residents were forced to wear red wrist bands to receive food. After a backlash from the First Minister, residents and the local Jewish Council they scrapped this scheme /8

Further to the above Lynx House was found to be overcrowded with substandard living conditions. Including: damp carpets, malfunctioning fire alarms and leaking plumbing. /9

In 2016 the Home Office received 59 complaints relating to accommodation Services provided by Clearsprings /10

In 2019 the Guardian exposed the living conditions in Southall, London as “overrun with cockroaches, rats and mice and overcrowded. Lawyers said the situation could be a breach of human rights legislation /11

In June 2020, a three-year-old boy died at a house owned by Clearsprings. An investigation was opened to uncover the exact cause of death. No arrest were made at the time and I cannot find the outcome of the coroner's inquest /12

Since 2020, Clearsprings have operated asylum seeker housing at the former military camp in Penally, Pembrokeshire, and at Napier Barracks in Kent. Residents at these sites have gone on hunger strike and have attempted suicide /13

Further to the above, volunteers working at the Napier barracks were made to sign confidentiality agreements under the Official Secrets Act. In January 2021 a fire was started at the Napier site; 14 men were arrested in response. /14

Following on from the above. Residents at these barracks reported that they went without electricity, heating, and clean drinking water after the fire. Some residents reported "repeated" complaints to Clearsprings over poor living conditions, including poorly cooked food. /15

The Red Cross called on the UK government to remove all asylum seekers from the barracks due to the conditions /16

In Dec 2021 another investigation by The Guardian revealed the poor conditions of asylum seekers living in Clearsprings operated flats in Uxbridge & South Ruislip, with residents housed for multiple years in accommodation which was too small, dirty, damp or poorly maintained./17

In Jan 2022 an investigation by Corporate Watch & The Canary revealed asylum seekers were being housed in an insect-infested hotel in London ran by Clearsprings. /18

Further to the above. In addition to bed bugs, a family of eight reportedly experienced a ceiling caving in, water leaks from the apartment above, insufficient food, lack of hot water, lack of electricity, and a dangerous electrical installation. /19

The Owner, Graham King, has a number of other business interests one of which is a caravan park thhat has been accused of profiteering off homeless people. According to Companies House he has had a total of 18 directorships of multiple companies. /20

Further to the above in 2015 it was reported the company received £3.8million in housing benefit for housing homeless people in their caravan park. The caravans were described as freezing cold without heating /21

As of this week Clearsprings is facing 27 charges of breaching the housing act 2004 in relation to housing in Swindon. These include but are not limited to fire door safety and leaking water all in their "ready to move in" HMOs contracted by local gov /22

Sources:

https://t.co/rLVGdIF6T3.
https://t.co/Z8BVxm7xjt
https://t.co/N6wHKDktd8
https://t.co/0wM1nhTgCo
https://t.co/dpRH7B76K7
https://t.co/ZoW3vt3nut
https://t.co/cLsBY6Cfzf
/23swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/23709515.…
corporatewatch.org/clearsprings/#…
theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/f…
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-…
theguardian.com/society/2008/a…
theguardian.com/world/2019/aug…
theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/j…
theguardian.com/uk-news/2021/f…