An asylum seeker has shared images of the food he was given and conditions including a leak in a reception area in hotel accommodation where he was staying.
The man, who fled the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, shared images of a meal he was given which included a bruised apple, an unidentifiable meat and portions of pasta.
The Liverpool Echo reports he also claimed asylum seekers had been put up in cold, leaking and overcrowded rooms in two Liverpool hotels.
A video he provided to the Liverpool Echo shows water leaking in to the building, with Serco, the company contracted by the Home Office to provide accommodation for asylum seekers, saying the leak had followed a recent downpour and had been "rectified immediately."
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Serco insisted said staff had “a good relationship” with asylum seekers in the accommodation.
A spokesperson for the company said the accommodation is in "very good condition" and that "rooms and property are clean and in good order."
But the man called the conditions “disastrous” and the food has been described as disgusting.
He said: “It is cold in the rooms, really cold - and I cannot open the heaters. When I try, the electricity goes off."
Speaking about the food being served, he added: “They [asylum seekers] have to eat it because they are hungry, but sometimes they throw some of it away. And then they don’t get enough money to buy food, so you have to be patient and wait until the next meal."
The asylum seeker, who learned English while studying for a degree at a UK university, said many asylum seekers don’t speak English, which has prevented them from reporting issues.
A Serco spokesperson said that staff at the hotels are "confident and competent and had a good relationship with the asylum seekers.”
They added: “The accommodation is in very good condition. Rooms and property are clean and in good order.
"One of our senior managers regularly visits both hotels to ensure quality standards and has regular contact with supervisors. None of the issues raised with you have been observed or reported to her.
"There have been no incidents or complaints during the last month about food etc or incidents relating to issues with food."
The company accepted there had been a leak in the reception area of one of the hotels after a recent downpour, but said this had been 'rectified immediately.'
Although Serco claimed they have not received recent complaints, the man said he had called, emailed, and tweeted with his concerns.
He said: “They [Serco] don’t respond whatsoever. Nobody listens."
In response to his claims, a Home Office spokesperson said: “The wellbeing of asylum seekers is taken extremely seriously, and all necessary steps are taken to protect people in our care. All of our hotels must provide up to date health and safety reports before being booked.
“Should any asylum seeker have any problems with their accommodation, they can contact Migrant Help, which is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to provide support.”
