A NEW block of flats in the heart of Southampton has no carpets, heating or even any locking doors.

But the tower block has ample parking spaces and is completely rent free as long as you don't bring a car.

This new living space in the city centre is not a luxury set of flats or a new development to house Southampton's booming student population.

It is in fact the multi-storey car park in Bedford Place that is becoming a haven for the city's homeless population that are sheltering inside to escape the wind and rain.

Several tents have popped up inside the carpark in Salisbury Street as rough sleepers camp inside, and say as there are doors on the stairwells it offers slightly more protection from the elements than other car parks.

But the "residents" inside worry that they may eventually be forced to move out of the council owned building.

When the Daily Echo went to the multi-storey block, five rough sleepers had set up tents in between the cars, with bags, clothes, bedding, food and drink tucked into the corners as they sheltered from the rain.

Simon Bowie, 45, was one of the people who was sleeping there and said: "We are here because we are homeless and there is nowhere else to go.

"I beg for money every day on the streets and then it's back to the tents to sleep.

"There were some other people sleeping here who had their tents kicked in by some guys who were messing around.

"I would like the government to do more in general because they are quite happy to give overseas aid and invite people to come and live here and they are not looking after their own.

"We have not been told to move on but it will probably happen at some point, the council usually put a notice up saying if the tent is not moved in 24 hours we will be moved.

"We just try and keep to ourselves."

A Daily Echo investigation last year found that many homeless people in the city are angry at the "bogus beggars" who come to Southampton to exploit residents' generosity but have the luxury of going home and sleeping under a roof.

But for these rough sleepers the city's multi-storey car parks offer somewhere dry to sleep and a small amount of safety as they have nowhere else to spend the night.

PICTURED: The car park in Bedford Place

Lynn Matthews, who gives out free meals as part of the New Help the Homeless in Southampton group, said: "There are a lot of homeless people in the car parks, they feel it is a bit safer in there.

"They used to sleep in the doorways and you don't really see that so much because they are going to the car parks to keep out of the wind, it is still cold but they are not getting wet.

"It is safer because when they were sleeping in the doorways sometimes they would get assaulted, or urinated on or sometimes set on fire.

"A lot of them now feel safer up in the car parks and they normally go up to the top floors and keep out of the way.

"It is an awkward situation because the council and the police don't like them sleeping rough on the street but if they are in the car parks they are out of the way, keeping warm and dry.

"If they get moved on they will go to another place and another car park because they do feel safer there."

Although the homeless residents of the car park have a small amount of comfort by being out of the worst of the weather, they still worry that one day they will be forced to move on.

Councillor Warwick Payne, Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainability, said: "If we have illegal encampments on our property the standard policy is to move these people on.

"In the event that these people are genuinely homeless we would of course seek to provide help and support to these people, which in real terms means directing them to a homeless shelter and day service that helps them and gets them back on their feet."

A spokesperson for Southampton City Council said: "Southampton City Council’s street homeless team carry out twice weekly outreach in the city centre, including all the major car parks, to offer help to those people found sleeping rough.

"All street sleepers are offered help including access to hostels in the city in emergency situations or where appropriate.

"For example, where individuals are staying temporarily with friends or family we are able on occasion to offer a deposit to access private rented accommodation.

"We continue to carry out these regular outreach sessions and all stipulated assistance will continue to be provided."

What do drivers using the car park think?

Clare Rollings, 46, retired from Warsash, said: "It was bloody frightening, one night I had to work late and I had to park on the third floor and there were three guys sitting on the blanket and it was just awful."

Robert Smith, 70, retired from Southampton, said: "I think it is all wrong because a lot of the time you come in there are not any spaces and they take up the ones that are free.

"But apart from that they are no trouble, they have got to find somewhere to sleep.

"You would sometimes get the police come round to move them on but a couple of hours later they would come back."

Phil Barber, 55, a company director, said: "They have been here for the last couple of years and they never damage any cars.

"I have parked right next to where the tents are and they have never tried to steal anything.

"I feel sorry for them, initially I was a bit put out but the more I thought about it I realised they are just guys down on their luck."

Tanvir Miah, 22, a student who commutes to university in Southampton, said: "The rough sleepers don't really affect me.

"With weather conditions like this there should be more stuff done about supporting the rough sleepers.

"You try and help as much as you can, last time I was in this car park there was a guy just sitting in there so I gave him some food."