Unreasonable behaviour by guests: Homes for Ukraine
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-15)

Sets out the council’s responsibilities for when guests are asked to leave their accommodation due to unreasonable behaviour.

On occasions, guests are asked to leave their accommodation due to unreasonable behaviour and may approach the council for assistance with their rehousing.

Councils should treat these households in the same way as any other household which is homeless or at risk of homelessness and consider what duties are owed under Part 7 of the Housing Act 1996. Councils must have regard to the Homelessness Code of Guidance (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities/chapter-6-homeless-or-threatened-with-homelessness) when exercising their homelessness functions.

Councils are reminded that applications for homelessness assistance can be made to any department of the council and expressed in any form. As long as the communication seeks accommodation or assistance in obtaining accommodation and includes details that give the housing authority reason to believe that they might be homeless or threatened with homelessness, this will constitute an application.

Councils must take reasonable steps to prevent and relieve homelessness for those who are threatened with homelessness or are already homeless. Duties can be ended by facilitating a rematch, providing the accommodation is suitable, and there is a reasonable prospect of it being available for at least 6 months. The suitability of a guest for rematching, including past behaviour and any evident vulnerabilities should be taken into account when considering whether a rematch is a suitable option. See Chapter 14 of the Homelessness Code of Guidance (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/homelessness-code-of-guidance-for-local-authorities/chapter-14-ending-the-prevention-and-relief-duties) for details on ending prevention and relief duties.

Some guests may be subject to a criminal charge or conviction whilst they are in the UK. Where known, this should, with the guests’ permission, be communicated to any prospective host offering a rematch.

A guest can have their permission to stay in the UK cancelled under the criminality grounds set out in Part 9.4 of the Immigration Rules (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-part-9-grounds-for-refusal) if they get a criminal conviction, are a persistent offender or have committed a criminal offence(s) causing serious harm. Further, a guest can have their permission to stay cancelled where the Secretary of State has personally directed that they must be excluded from the UK, where their presence is deemed not conducive to the public good or where there is evidence they have been involved in a sham marriage or sham civil partnership.

For more information, see Part 9 of the Immigration Rules (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-part-9-grounds-for-refusal) and the Appendix Ukraine Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/immigration-rules/immigration-rules-appendix-ukraine-scheme). You can also find more information on reporting an immigration or border crime (https://www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime).