An asylum seeker has said food provided at government backed accommodation is so unpleasant sometimes it's thrown away.
The man, who has asked to remain anonymous, is in accommodation in Liverpool having fled the humanitarian crisis in Yemen.
He has claimed asylum seekers have been put up in cold, leaking and overcrowded rooms in two hotels in the city, the Liverpool Echo reported.
They've also been served vegetables with what he said was unidentifiable meat, a bruised apple, and portions of pasta.
A video he provided shows water leaking in to the building.
Serco, the company contracted by the Home Office to provide accommodation for asylum seekers, claimed the leak had followed a recent downpour and had been "rectified immediately."
They 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 pushed back against their claims, calling the conditions “disastrous”.
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, says many of the people he in his situation 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 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.”
