Room Sharing in Hotels
Mears has been tasked by the Home Office to introduce room-sharing for some asylum seekers at hotel sites in Northern Ireland.
While the majority of those affected will be at male-only sites, women will also be required to room share. Therefore any asylum seeker – whether male or female – who receives a Mears letter notifying them of the room-sharing requirement should provide their reasons if they are unsuitable to room share.
It is vital that those affected understand their rights and are proactive. Please share this information widely.
While most people will have to share a room, some people are considered to be “unsuitable” for room sharing based on their physical or mental health, or another circumstance. Our guide includes:
- Who is exempt/unsuitable for room sharing?
- Can I refuse to share a room?
- If Mears already know about my situation, do I have to provide evidence again?
- What is suitable evidence?
- How do I provide evidence?
Support organisations have an essential role to play in identifying and supporting people who should not have to share a room.
Additional Translated Resources
Action For Refugees In Lewisham (AFRIL) have produced a translated Maximisation: Know Your Rights Booklet. It is available for FREE download in Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, English, Farsi, French, Pashto, Sinhalese, Spanish, Tamil, Tigrinya, Vietnamese.