Ex-staff member who raised concerns about conditions at budget hotel on the A10 is taking former employer to court for ‘unfair dismissal’, reports James Cracknell

Enfield Travelodge has housed hundreds of different homeless families as emergency accommodation in recent years

An ex-staff member at Enfield Travelodge has accused their former employer of exploiting the housing crisis – as they prepare to take the budget hotel chain to court.

The former worker at the hotel on the A10 has spoken to the Dispatch about their experiences in recent years, during which time hundreds of homeless families have been placed in bed and breakfast (B&B) style emergency accommodation by Enfield Council as well as other local authorities.

As London’s housing crisis escalated rapidly following the Covid-19 pandemic, especially between 2022 and 2023, many borough councils were overwhelmed by an influx of families presenting themselves as homeless, often after they had been evicted and discovered they could no longer afford to rent privately.

The problem was especially acute in Enfield, which for several years has consistently had one of the highest numbers of households living in temporary accommodation in the country.

According to the ex-Travelodge staffer, who has requested to remain anonymous until the start of their employment tribunal case, the company sought to exploit the precarious situation by “inflating prices” paid by councils such as Enfield to house homeless families while having “no regard” for the wellbeing of vulnerable hotel guests.

Travelodge says it “strongly denies” these claims.

After raising multiple concerns about the situation at Enfield Travelodge specifically and the conditions people were living in there, the worker was dismissed by the company in July 2023 for ‘breach of contract’. However, they have now launched an ‘unfair dismissal’ legal case which is now set to be heard by an employment tribunal later this year.

The Dispatch made several visits to Enfield Travelodge during 2023, when the housing crisis hit a peak. It was clear that at this time the majority of guests were homeless families, as bored children roamed corridors and even resorted to playing in car parks.

Among the Travelodge guests who spoke to the Dispatch during this time were a disabled father of two whose family were made homeless following a house fire, and a pregnant mother of a toddler. All had been living there for well beyond the government’s six-week legal limit for B&Bs, which includes any type of emergency accommodation where families do not have access to their own cooking and washing facilities.

The Travelodge whistleblower said: “The onset of the pandemic drastically transformed the hotel’s operations. We experienced a significant decline in our regular tradespeople and leisure visitors due to the imposed restrictions.

“In response, Travelodge seized the opportunity to provide accommodation for emergency guests referred by local authorities, not only from Enfield Council but also from surrounding councils. This situation has been viewed as a lucrative opportunity for Travelodge, which raised nightly rates, knowing that the councils have a moral [and legal] obligation to house homeless families, leaving them with no choice but to accept the inflated costs.”

Travelodge announced record financial results in 2023, reporting revenue over £1billion for the first time according to a company announcement in March 2024.

The whistleblower continued: “As this situation continued without resolution, Travelodge prioritised emergency accommodation, effectively displacing our regular tradespeople and leisure guests. This resulted in a two-tier system where emergency guests were treated as second-class patrons, lacking the ability to voice complaints without fear of eviction.”

Homeless families who often spent many months living at Travelodge – some for well over a year – were forced to move to a different room every 28 days.

Explaining the impact this had, the ex-staffer said: “Travelodge’s policy mandates that guests change rooms every 28 days, which is both humiliating and degrading, especially for those with numerous belongings, making frequent relocations impractical.

“Additionally, some guests have children with autism, and the constant room changes adversely affect their behaviour. Others are individuals with disabilities, recently released from prison on probation, or discharged from hospitals due to a lack of available beds. This resulted in a diverse and challenging clientele at the hotel.

“I began expressing my concerns to my line managers. I suggested we implement certain adjustments to better assist families in need, such as providing free access to a microwave, a washing machine, and the café space during lunch hours, as well as offering complimentary wifi for schoolchildren to complete their homework.

“Unfortunately, my efforts led to me being targeted, resulting in false allegations against me that ultimately led to my suspension and dismissal after 15 years of service with the company.”

Regarding the accusations made against Travelodge and the upcoming case, a spokesperson for the company said: “Travelodge strongly denies the allegations made by this ex-employee. As this is a legal matter, we cannot make any further comment at this stage.”

The Dispatch will be covering the employment tribunal case when it takes place.

No news is bad news

Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.

The audiences they serve know less, understand less, and can do less.

If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.

Choose the news. Don’t lose the news.

Monthly direct debit

Annual direct debit

£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.