Social housing tenants have been left living in “human warehouses” across a Wiltshire town, say campaigners.

The team at Devizes and District Foodbank launched a campaign to tackle the issue of social housing providers removing basic furnishings like flooring and curtains before residents move in.

Many tenants across the town, and the county, are forced to make do without these expensive furnishings, leaving them in “cold, drafty, unliveable properties”.

Charity End Furniture Poverty reports 98 per cent of social housing in the UK is unfurnished and that it costs between £1,000 and £2,000 to carpet a house.

Community organiser Alex Montegriffo says this issue is prevalent across Devizes, with issues reported by tenants in Stonewater properties.

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A Stonewater propertyA Stonewater property (Image: Public contribution) Alex added: “People are having to accept these properties that are empty shells or warehouses for people.

“It’s not dignified and it’s stressful having to cover the cost of this on top of everything else because it’s an expense that is beyond people, a lot of whom may be vulnerable.”

Residents, who wished to remain anonymous, said they were left living in a “shell” for months or even years.

One tenant said: “I moved with the bare essentials in furniture, to a property stripped back to concrete on the downstairs and floorboards throughout the rest of the property.

“My daughter and I lived with cardboard on the floor for almost a year.

“We moved into social housing because we can’t afford anything else, and then have a completely empty shell.”

Alex MontegriffoAlex Montegriffo (Image: Newsquest) Others revealed they went into debt to furnish their homes due to the cost of flooring.

Another tenant added: “It was very overwhelming having all of that to contend with… I personally ended up in debt due to the amount of work that needed doing.

“My children spent a large majority of time at their grandparents’ as they were unable to safely play at home without hurting themselves.

“I went into debt to get this issue resolved, debt I am still paying off now three years later.”

An Empty House Isn’t a Home campaign is calling for social housing providers to change the practice of removing things like flooring between tenancies.

Tenants who have experienced similar issues are urged to fill out its survey or contact the group at emptyhouseteam@gmail.com or 07483377346.

A Stonewater propertyA Stonewater property (Image: Public contribution) Stonewater insists it has been tackling the issue of “furniture poverty” for several years.

Assistant director of customer experience, Holly Edwards, said: “Stonewater recognises the issue of flooring and furniture poverty experienced by many customers in social housing.

“Since 2019, we have provided floor coverings in all kitchens and bathrooms, and in our newly built homes, we have gone one step further and provide floor coverings throughout.

“However, we realise there is more to do. Wherever possible, we recycle and reuse flooring and white goods being left at the end of a tenancy.

“Last year 28 per cent of our relet homes were provided with this additional flooring, benefitting over 500 customers.”

The housing association is working with other organisations to provide access to furnishings.

Ms Edwards added: “We work with organisations, such as our charitable foundation, Longleigh, and the British Heart Foundation, to provide access to grants for new items such as floor coverings, high-quality used white goods and other furnishings.

“Stonewater has also provided funding to Longleigh to undertake research with End Furniture Poverty and other partners to highlight these issues.”

“It is important to recognise the distinction between private and social tenancies too. Furnished tenancies are uncommon in social housing as we aim to offer long-term, often lifetime, tenancies where people can put down roots and make their home their own.

“Private rented tenancies are often short term and frequently come furnished as the tenants will not be there long term.”