A Blackburn hostel, used by homeless and vulnerable people in the town, closed on Friday after inspectors found living conditions were ‘unsatisfactory or extremely poor’.

Union House, in St Peter Street, officially closed its doors on Friday, May 12.

Blackburn with Darwen Council said the decision was made by The Lupin Foundation, an organisation which runs the house of multiple occupation.

The foundation said it has “worked tirelessly to provide a vital safety net for vulnerable and marginalised individuals”.

It criticised the council for “choosing not to follow the government guidelines for collaborative working under the Supported Housing Improvement Programme.”

The landlords of Union House also accused the council of “engaging in a political strategy.”

Following the inspection, serious concerns were raised by Blackburn with Darwen Council “regarding the relationship between the owner and the Lupin Foundation, and the level of support offered to residents”.

The council reportedly wrote to the Lupin Foundation highlighting 49 separate issues relating to “unsatisfactory and extremely poor standards” within the building.

These are said to include "filthy conditions" in rooms and communal areas, leaks and water damage, "inadequate and filthy mattresses and bedding", and evidence of rodents.

Pictures taken at the inspection, which cannot be included in this report for legal reasons, reportedly show heavily stained carpets, mouldy walls, sinks with extensive build-up of dirt and grime, evidence of pest activity in bedrooms, toilets that don’t flush and unhygienic conditions in kitchens.

The council said a full review of the information and evidence resulted in the decision to terminate all resident housing benefit claims for this property from April 22, 2022 on the basis that “acceptable levels of support were not being offered consistently to tenants”. 

The council says it has a duty to protect the most vulnerable people in our communities and ensure public money paid out through housing benefit is being used to provide decent accommodation and support to residents.  

MORE: Council agree to clampdown on HMOs to protect borough's services

MORE: Borough to launch new £1m bedsits crackdown 

An authority spokesperson said: “The government-funded Supported Housing Improvement Programme has provided additional resources which have enabled extensive engagement with current and previous residents of Union House, and a full inspection of the property earlier this year.”

Mark Warren, strategic director for adults and health (DASS) at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said the council’s priority has been to find suitable alternative accommodation for those still living at Union House.

He said: “Since Thursday, May 4, a multi-agency team has been working closely to support around 39 current Union House residents.

“The council’s priority is to provide suitable alternative accommodation for these residents, to ensure  no one becomes homeless needlessly as a result of the Lupin Foundation’s decision to close Union House.    

“The council’s housing needs and adult social care mental health teams are working closely with Changing Futures, the Probation Service and other specialist agencies, to ensure that support is made available to Union House residents, tailored to their individual, and in some cases complex, needs.     

“Staff are at Union House worked every day up until its closure on May 12, to ensure residents are supported and to facilitate smooth transitions into alternative accommodation this week.

“Already many Union House residents have been settled into new accommodation, and our teams will follow up next week to identify any additional support needs they may have.  

“This work highlights that we are committed to protecting the welfare of our most vulnerable residents.” 

The leader of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Councillor Phil Riley, said the council cannot stand by and let vulnerable people live in “such shocking condition”.

He said: “This is such vital work on a very complicated challenge for our borough.

“We want to work with private landlords to drive up standards, offer the right levels of care and provide value for public money.  

"We can’t stand by and watch the most vulnerable people in our community living in such shocking conditions.

“The pictures taken of Union House during a recent inspection speak for themselves. To expect vulnerable people, or indeed anyone, to live in such filthy and unhygienic rooms is wholly unacceptable. 

“We are committed to giving hope to some very vulnerable people who are from either Blackburn or Darwen who want to rebuild their lives as well as cutting down on anti-social behaviour which affects the wider community.

“We are also playing a leading role in improving the regulation of this sector across the country.” 

In a joint statement, the landlords of Union House, who asked not to be named, said: “It is to the discredit of Blackburn with Darwen Council to engage in a political strategy to use the most vulnerable mental health residents as a tool to gather evidence to meet their agenda.”

A spokesperson for the board at The Lupin Foundation added: “Union House is a 44 bed hostel which has worked tirelessly providing a vital safety net for vulnerable and marginalised individuals in Blackburn for over 20 years.

“It is unfortunate Blackburn with Darwen Council have chosen not to follow the government guidelines for collaborative working under the Supported Housing Improvement Programme or to exercise the same level of professional discretion as The Lupin Foundation during the forced closure of Union House.

“The matter is now in the hands of our legal advisors.”