London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

Spot to stay top worry for BNO arrivals

Spot to stay top worry for BNO arrivals

Finding accommodation is the main difficulty Hongkongers expect to face when arriving in Britain, with 73 percent saying so.
A majority of those arriving with the British National (Overseas) visa do not have previous UK records showing their rental history, employment record and financial status -making it difficult for them to rent houses, said three Britain-based civil society groups assisting Hongkongers.

Under the BNO visa route, an estimated 2.9 million BNO status holders and 2.3 million dependents are eligible to live, work and study in Britain. After five years, they will be able to apply for settlement and, after a further year, citizenship.

The three civil society groups -Hongkongers in Britain, Hackney Chinese Community Services, and Hong Kong Assistance and Resettlement Community - were invited by the British government to find out more about the housing situation for BNO holders moving to the UK.

HKB's survey published in December showed that 73 percent of 315 Hongkongers interviewed said finding accommodation is the most challenging issue they expect to face upon arriving in Britain.

Julian Chan, the cofounder of HKB, said most new BNO arrivals checked into Airbnbs or hotels for the first few weeks and immediately began house hunting. Few had arranged to rent properties before arrival.

One of the most frequently mentioned difficulties that HKB has found from 230 online respondents between March 28 and April 4 is that new BNO arrivals do not have UK records that are often required by landlords such as rental histories, employment records, credit histories and a bank references.

"In the absence of the above, many landlords also request upfront rental payments for at least six months, sometimes up to 12 months," Chan said, adding that financial statements and references from Hong Kong are often rejected by landlords or rental agents.

When signing tenancy agreements, Chan said usually a current address is required. However, for those seeking accommodation after arriving in Britain, property agencies are unlikely to accept a temporary address such as in hotels.

The lack of a permanent address also hinders new arrivals from Hong Kong from opening bank accounts.

"Currently, seemingly only some branches of a few UK banks [known successful applications are with Lloyds Classic Current Account, Barclays, Halifax] allow new BNO arrivals to apply for accounts with no permanent address proof yet," Chan said.

HKB also found that children of the newly arrived families who live in hotels or Airbnbs are unable to obtain school places as British authorities do not accept hotels or Airbnbs as proof of residence.

The three civil society groups have called on the government to clarify in the current BNO visa guidance the right to rent for BNO holders. They also suggest the authorities consider using vacant houses awaiting redevelopment as temporary accommodation for newly arrived Hongkongers.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×