'I don't think any of them should be free to walk our streets'

However Clearsprings, which houses asylum seekers in London, the South and Wales, told MPs: “One of

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the most significant barriers to procurement that the team face is the fact that some estate agents do not want to work with us as a ‘company’.

“Their preference is to work in a traditional manner with individuals in the private market.

“Many landlords prefer to rent to the private sector or local authorities because of the amount of work which needs to be completed to make the property compliant.”

The firm added: “Our minimum standards/requirements are much higher than, for example, the local authority. Many insurance companies are now adding a premium to landlord home insurance policies when they find out that asylum seekers are going to occupy the property.

“Sometimes this increase makes the property untenable for the landlord and they withdraw.”