A homeowner who put his house on the market was offered £100 a head each week to house up to 20 refugees in his six-bed house.

Roy Ive, 50, decided to move out of Old Southend Road, Southend, because he believed the area had become caught in a spiral of decline.

He put his six-bedroom home on the market and was approached by a man interested in turning it into a home for around 20 refugees.

Mr Ive said: "He asked if, while the sale was going through, we could put up some of the refugees and offered £100 a head, no questions asked.

"He said it would be good if we could give them breakfast and they would go to another house for their evening meal but if we did not want to provide food, they could go elsewhere for breakfast.

"He seemed willing to overcome any problems we thought up but my partner and I decided against it because she has two young daughters.

"The prospective buyer was still interested in the house but then could not get planning permission from the council and the sale fell through."

Mr Ive then advertised his home in a newspaper and the first response was yet again from another person interested in turning it into a home for refugees.

He said: "The prospective buyers told me a council from outside the area would give them £140 per refugee to put a roof over their heads, which is a good earner if you have 20 people in house.

"However, he couldn't get planning permission either and so dropped it like a hot potato. Housing refugees seems to be big business."

Getting out - Roy Ive was surprised to receive requests to look after refugees

Picture: STEPHEN LLOYD

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