Landlords rent out 6,350 beds in sheds to migrants

Thousands of beds in sheds rented out by rogue landlords have been found in Slough

The unsafe and primitive outbuildings were pinpointed when a spy plane equipped with thermal imaging to detect possible human life flew over Slough, Berkshire.

Now council workers are visiting each site, accompanied by immigration and tax officials, police and fire officers.

The dodgy buildings face being demolished and the landlords fined if they are being used for accommodation or illegally built.

Beds in sheds is a growing problem across the UK. Unscrupulous property owners either build outhouses in their gardens or convert garages and sheds and rent them out to mainly illegal immigrants at extortionate rates.

Slough was one of the nine worst affected councils handed nearly 2 million by the Government to tackle the issue. It became the first to use the specialist spy plane.

In March, the aircraft made a two-hour night flight over the borough picking up heat signals from outbuildings to see if they are being used as beds in sheds.

The illegal housing was found by spy planes using thermal imaging

All the data has been analysed and a list of 6,350 suspicious dwellings drawn up that have to be investigated.

The buildings, which are rented out for up to 900 a month, could be housing upwards of 18,000 people.

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Landlords rent out 6,350 beds in sheds to migrants