The Panel considered the report of the
Assistant Chief Executive relating to the Council’s Article 4
and Houses in Multiple Occupation Supplementary Planning Document
(HMO SPD).
Janet Hawkins gave an overview of the HMO
licensing schemes in the City. She
indicated that the purposes of the schemes were to improve the
quality of the HMOs for the occupiers
and also to improve matters for the local communities.
The team had a good working relationship with
Legal Services and Planning.
The scheme details had been presented and
discussed at the Landlord Consultative Forum. And they were in the process of organising a
Stakeholders Forum.
The scheme only covered part of the City and
they would be looking at possibly increasing this in the
future.
Chris Lyons outlined the HMO SPD. He stated that it was only a guidance
document. He gave details of specific
points with regards to the spread of HMOs, demand and limits within area and how the
radius works.
He stated that if it was decided that the SPD
needed to be changed it was important that it was clear on what was
acceptable for future purchasers, planners and local residents.
Previously decisions have referred to the
character of the area, however, currently the HMO SPD does not
cover this.
It was noted that there was no income
generated from HMO applications.
Questions were asked why there were currently
tow tiers for the percentage of HMOs in
different areas. Discussion also took
place concerning recent applications that the Planning Committee
members have decided to reject and therefore go against the officer
recommendation for approval, in line with the SPD.
Various stakeholders were in attendance and
presented their main points relating to HMOs.
Highfield
Residents’ Association (HRA).
Information was attached to the papers at Appendix 3 and further
information was circulated at the meeting together with a response
from the East Bassett Residents’ Assocation:-
- Need for residents to have a
commitment to the City.
- Please that there was an intention
to take enforcement action against those landlords that do not
licence their HMOs.
- Need to consider the quality of life
for existing residents.
- If the 10% threshold had been
reached then no new ones should be created.
- If more HMOs were to be allowed Southampton would become a
transient city.
- More purpose built accommodation for
students however there were still high levels of students living in
HMOs.
- Felt that temporary stop orders
could be used.
- Hoping that as staffing levels had
been addressed that the backlog of enforcement could be
resolved.
Following on from the points raised by the HRA
the following comments were made:-
- The Residents Action Group in
Polygon stated that 10% and 20% levels were very low. They live in an area with almost 100% and this
causes many problems.
- Many cases were resolved without the
need to issue enforcement notices.
- Each of the 3 officers deals with
approximately 40-50 cases.
- Need figures showing numbers of
HMOs per ward.
- Need to be aware of the different
issues relating to HMOs and HMO student
accommodation.
- It was questioned whether it would
be legal to have a different policy for HMO student accommodation
as opposed to HMOs for other types of
residents.
Southern Landlords Association. Information was circulated at the meeting:-
- Understood that the introduction of
SPD was to spread the number of HMOs
across the City.
- With current earning levels demand
for HMO accommodation would increase.
- Concerns about the low increase in
the number of HMOs in the City over the
last year.
- SPD has effectively stopped any new
HMOs.
- Concerns that applications supported
by officers in line with policy were then refused at Planning
Committee. And have also been dismissed
at appeal on grounds that were not set out as part of the
policy.
- Need a solution to meet the aims of
the SPD or change the aims.
- Comparisons were made about areas
with different levels of HMOs and the
impact that it had on the house prices in the area and were
the “tipping” point
was.
- Their view was that students often
did not want to remain within purpose built accommodation after
their first year.
- Need for affordable housing for
people in the City, not just for students.
- Need for good landlords that provide
good HMOs.
- Registration scheme should improve
the situation.
National Landlords Association. Information was circulated at the meeting:-
- SPD has not delivered its aims.
- HMOs
were needed by certain parts of the population and always would
be.
- Policy often not followed so not
clear for landlords.
- In areas where HMOs were restricted, student accommodation has
been allowed. Many of the issues
relating to HMOs was directly linked
with students and these issues would also be present in purpose
built accommodation.
- Suggested that the policy be removed
completely as it had failed or clarify standards in each ward and
give details of current numbers already in areas.
Following on from the points raised by the
Landlords’ Associations the following comments were
made:-
- That bad landlords exploit the
rules, however it was felt that many of the issues would be
addressed once the licensing scheme was fully in place.
- Information was given relating to
students and Council Tax and what was claimed backed from Central
Government.
- There was discussion as to whether
it was agreed about students not wanting to remain in halls after
their first year.
- Questions were asked why HMO
applications were not received for wards on the east of the
City. It was felt that there was no
demand in these areas by working residents wanting these areas and
they were too far from the educational establishments for
students.
- Suggestion that the Landlords’
Associations and the Residents’ Associations met. Working together would be a better to way to
resolved issues.
- Issue of the visual impact of some
areas that were not maintained. Need to
place some of the responsibility with the landlords.
- It had been predicted that due to
the changes in benefits there would be a need for more HMOs but it was felt that nothing had
changed. And that the focus always
seemed to be on student HMOs.