FIRMS
Marketing No Comments

Firms on HMO register named after Freedom of Information challenge

FIRMS and organisations responsible for hundreds of multiple-occupancy homes across Northern Ireland have been named for the first time after a year-long Freedom of Information challenge.

For more than a decade the Housing Executive (NIHE) has maintained a list of the properties in the north registered as Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO).

The published HMO register lists information including the addresses of the properties, but does not show who is in charge of them.

However, NIHE has now disclosed the more than 200 public organisations in charge of HMOs – naming them in respect of each property.

It reveals firms and organisations control almost a quarter of all HMOs in Northern Ireland.

HMOs are generally properties let to three or more people from two or more different families.

Of the 5,790 HMOs registered in the north, companies and organisations are responsible for 1,341 which represents almost 11,000 permitted occupants.

Choice Housing has the most HMOs with 202 properties holding 1,402 people, followed by JHT UUJ Ltd with 118 properties covering 590 occupants, and Queen’s University Belfast with 111 properties and 2,100 occupants.

The details were disclosed to The Irish News following a complaint in June last year to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO).

NIHE had refused to disclose details in relation to all properties on the HMO register.

However, following discussions with the ICO, the housing body agreed to release information on HMOs run by firms and organisations and withhold details of HMOs run by individuals.

Nicola McCrudden, director of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), welcomed the publication of the list.

“HMOs are generally a more affordable housing option for a variety of groups including students and migrant workers. They also tend to house some of the most vulnerable in society with multiple needs beyond housing,” she said.

“Due to the shared nature of this housing, HMOs are considered to be higher risk and regulation is necessary to ensure residents’ homes are safe.”

Ms McCrudden said they “welcome this transparency” for firms, but said extending it to individual landlords remains divisive.

She said social housing landlords are regulated and their names are publicly available, and “given that the private rented sector is now larger there is a clear argument that transparency should be extended”.

But she added: “Making individual landlords’ contact details publicly available is a contentious issue.

“We recognise the safety concerns expressed by some landlords, particularly those with larger portfolios.

“However, this must be balanced against the needs of tenants who may not have their landlords’ contact details.

“The HMO Act 2016 is yet to be implemented due to no Executive in place, but is intended as an update on the management and regulation of HMOs including mandatory licensing – whether or not ownership details will appear public register remains unclear.”

———–

:: The 15 firms and organisations in charge of the most HMOs in Northern Ireland

Company – Number of properties – Number of permitted occupants

1. Choice Housing Ireland Ltd – 202 – 1,402

2. JHT UUJ Ltd – 118 – 590

3. Queen’s University Belfast – 111 – 2,100

4. University Partnership Programme – 65 – 412

5. University of Ulster – 60 – 402

6. SOBE Developments Ltd – 52 – 231

7. Triangle Housing Association Ltd – 43 – 214

8. Lanyon Jersey Propco Ltd – 42 – 322

9. Silverline Developments Ltd – 40 – 164

10. Croob Properties Ltd – 30 – 282

11. Apex Housing Association Ltd – 29 – 517

12. Radius Housing Ltd – 26 – 376

13. Nexus Property Services, Rentals and Management – 18 – 93

14. Craigowen Housing Association Ltd – 17 – 177

15. Oakdene Properties Limited – 17 – 90

Source: Irish News

County Durham shared house
Marketing No Comments

County Durham landlords encouraged to check licences

Landlords with properties in County Durham are being encouraged to check whether they need a licence ahead of upcoming changes to legislation.

Rules around Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are set to extend to more properties from 1 October 2018 – and the changes may be particularly relevant for landlords of student houses.

From that date, a HMO licence will be required if a property is occupied by five people or more in two separate households, regardless of the number of storeys in the building. Previously, this only applied if the property was three storeys or more.

A single household means either an individual (including a student) or a family unit.

The rules apply to any HMO which is a building or a converted flat where householders share basic amenities like a toilet or cooking facilities, and purpose built flats where there are up to two flats in the block and one or both are occupied as a HMO.

Landlords whose property now requires a licence must apply before Monday 1 October and are being warned there is no grace period after this date.

However, those landlords who already have a current license under a local authority mandatory or additional licensing scheme, as well as landlords who have a selective licence, will not need to apply for a new license until their current license expires even if that is after 1 October 2018.

Joanne Waller, head of environment, health and consumer protection, said:

“This new legislation will bring many more properties under the HMO licensing regime and we would remind all landlords in the county to check whether they now need to be registered. 

“We take our duty to regulate HMOs very seriously as we know licensing leads to improved property conditions for residents living in this type of accommodation”

Source: Sun FM

HMO licensing
Marketing No Comments

HMO licensing – the potential pitfalls for landlords

The change to licensing closes off a major HMO classification loophole regarding the number of storeys a property owns.

An HMO is a property rented out by at least three people who are not from one household (for example, a family) and who share facilities, including the bathroom and kitchen.

Current guidelines state that a license is only required when the property has three or more storeys and five or more tenants from more than one household, collectively sharing the kitchen, toilet or bathroom.

Updates in HMO licensing

Worryingly, however, these criteria have led to some landlords skirting HMO licensing status, particularly evident in student accommodation where landlords squeeze more than five tenants into less than three storeys.

Under the new rules, a property home to five or more people from more than one household, regardless of the number of storeys, will be classified as an HMO.

Landlords will also have an obligation to adhere to rules regarding minimum room sizes.

Single rooms will be required to be a minimum of 6.51sqm and double-rooms a minimum of 10.22 sqm. An extra requirement has also been added for children under 10 years of age, with these rooms required to be at least 4.64 sqm.

Burden for landlords

The new licensing is part of the government’s ambition to encourage more responsible lettings and reduce the possibility of potentially unsafe living conditions for tenants.

However, it will unavoidably place further pressure on Britain’s already stressed landlords.

According to the Residential Landlords Association, 16% of landlords rent to people in HMOs.

It is predicted that once the changes come into effect later this year, a further 177,000 HMOs will be subject to licensing.

Not only will the new rules require these landlords to apply for a license, they’ll also likely lead to some costly upgrades putting their profit margins under pressure.

This could be a result of a reduction in rooms available to let, increased costs to meet regulatory hurdles in terms of room size and subsequent safety measures, or general checks that a property is fit for purpose under the new criteria.

However, forgoing an updated HMO license would result in even greater financial damage, with severe penalties set to be imposed on landlords who fail to adhere.

No grace period

These criteria changes come amid a wave of new legislations, including the updated energy performance certificate (EPC) requirements in April and the various tax and regulatory changes introduced last year.

It seems landlords are being challenged to remain more industry-aware than ever before.

The value of external advice and support through these changes cannot be underestimated, as landlords will have no grace period after the regulation comes into effect on 1st October.

For brokers, this is a chance for them to brush up on the essentials of the new HMO licensing.

It’s the perfect opportunity to build a strong reputation of expertise in regulatory compliance, ultimately creating more business down the line as more landlords look to them for advice.

Source: Mortgage Solutions

Marketing No Comments

If you rent a home, your landlord may need a licence!

Tenants, landlords, and neighbours are being urged to alert the council to licensable properties. From 1 October 2018 all houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) rented to five or more unrelated people must have a council HMO licence.

As things stand, a licence is only required if the property is three or more storeys high, but the law is changing this.

Landlords seeking an HMO licence will need to demonstrate to an Environmental Health Officer that the property meets national safety regulations.

The law change is designed to make sure that rented shared houses and flats are of a good standard and are safe to live in.
The council will be conducting inspections of properties over the coming months, and as of 1 October any landlord renting out an HMO without a licence will be committing an offence and could be subject to a large fine.

Those knowingly avoiding applying for a licence could be banned from renting out properties altogether.

Cllr Kim Caddy, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “Don’t leave it to the last minute – any landlord who rents out an HMO without a licence after 1 October will be committing an offence. We’re also asking tenants, neighbours or anyone else who thinks a property could be licensable to get in touch.”

Source: Putneysw15

Marketing No Comments

New guidance to limit ‘over concentration’ and number of HMOs in Wrexham

New planning guidance that could help limit the ‘over concentration’ of HMOs in any one area have been backed by councillors.

Over recent years Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) have become a hugely contentious issue – with an increase in the number of application submitted to Wrexham Council proposing residential and former office / retail space are converted into HMOs.

The issue has been particularly prominent in the six town centre wards – Brynyffynnon, Erddig, Grosvenor, Maesydre, Offa and Smithfield. This has prompted the six town centre councillors to come together with the aim of strengthening planning guidance.

Current ‘Local Planning Guidance Note’ for dealing with HMOs was adopted in February 1993 and revised in June 2004.

However a report presented to Executive Board members last Tuesday, notes that the guidance “currently lacks specific criteria for determining whether there is an over concentration of HMOs in a given area and for the provision of outdoor amenity space”.

In a bid to resolve issues with clusters and over concentration of HMOs, Executive Board members last week unanimously backed plans to adopt new planning guidance.

The new guidance will limit HMOs to 10% within a 50 metre radius of the boundaries of the application site. Where concentration is more than 10%, “planning permission will not normally be granted unless there are relevant material planning considerations to justify doing so”.

It also provides criteria that will be used to discourage the development of clusters of HMOs within individual streets. This would be achieved by “a gap of at least two dwellings or other buildings not in use as a HMO between a proposed HMO and any existing HMO”.

This will enable the planning committee to consider community needs in assessing planning permissions.

At last week’s meeting Lead Member for Planning and Corporate Services, Cllr David Kelly, acknowledged that the previous plan is considered “no longer fit for purpose” due to lack of specific criteria on over concentration of HMOs and provision of outdoor space.

He added: “I know certain members have had longstanding issues with HMOs and the concentration.

“I believe the work done in consultation with town centre members goes a long way to address a lot of the issues.”

The planning guidance relates to applications across the county borough, however it is noted in last week’s meeting report that a series of meetings had been held with town centre councillors as they represent the areas where the “vast majority of existing HMOs are situated and where there is greatest demand for new HMOs”.

Councillor Marc Jones, who represents the Grosvenor ward, has previously described the situation with HMOs as “frustrating” and a “catch 22”.

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Jones said: “We want to ensure a mix of housing – owner occupier, private rented, council housing and HMOs.

“The situation in some neighbourhoods and streets is that HMOs are dominating and that can cause problems in terms of transient populations, overcrowding, parking issues, poor amenity space and, in a minority of situations, anti-social behaviour.

“As councillors representing those areas most affected by HMOs, we have pushed officers to strengthen guidelines. We haven’t achieved what we hoped for with this guidance but it is a step in the right direction. We will review and monitor the effectiveness of the new guidance to see whether it does have the intended effect.”

During last week’s meeting Cllr Jones also spoke on behalf of a cross-party support group of the six town centre councillors, who recently met Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths to stress the importance of Welsh Government support for new guidance.

They also highlighted the need for the Planning Inspectorate, nominally under Welsh Government control, to allow local councils to make decisions affecting local communities.

Cllr Jones added: “What we’ve seen in too many cases is that the local planning committee makes a decision, the landlord appeals to the Planning Inspectorate appeals and that is upheld. That’s not local democracy at work and it undermines the whole point of having a planning committee.

“We need to make sure the message will get through to Cardiff that our communities are a very fragile balance and the wrong decisions can have a huge impact on streets and neighbourhoods.

“HMOs have increased because many people don’t have any other option and that’s an indictment of how affordable homes aren’t being built.

“Councils such as Wrexham haven’t built a home for rent for a generation, although that will change later this year as the council starts to build again.

“These will start to replace the 10,000 council houses sold off since 1980 in Wrexham alone.”

Source: Wrexham

Marketing No Comments

Plans to restrict HMOs in St Andrews to be debated

New restrictions on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in St Andrews have been proposed to control the number of student lets in the town centre.

If approved, thresholds would be set and no new licences issued where the number of HMOs has reached its limit.

Townspeople and councillors have called for years for a new policy to deal with applications for new HMOs in the university town.

A proliferation of HMOs, which are typically let to students, has been blamed for creating areas with few permanent residents and problems with rubbish, neglect and antisocial behaviour.

Following an independent probe by North Star Consulting and Review, Fife Council’s housing service has advised that the threshold policy be adopted and will ask the north east Fife area committee on Wednesday to recommend it to the housing services committee.

A report by housing manager Vania Kennedy states: “The demand for HMO accommodation is particularly high in St Andrews from students, young professionals and people working away from home.

“A moratorium was introduced under planning policy to achieve a balance between the competing demands for accommodation and the need for a balanced community.

“Research suggests that the recent increase in the number of HMOs in St Andrews indicates it is not having the desired impact and an unintended consequence has been to push the provision of HMOs for students out from the centre to surrounding areas.”

Since the moratorium was introduced in 2011 the number of HMOs has increased by more than 11%.

The housing service rejected thresholds proposed by North Star, which it said had drawbacks, and came up with its own, dividing the town into three zones.

The policy would permit 18% to 22% of properties in the town centre to be HMOs, 6% to 10% in the east and 4% to 7% in the west.

The report said: “The aim is to protect traditional residential areas which are most favoured by the family market and permanent residents, and allow a certain level of HMOs in each part of the town.

“In practice, where the existing provision at the time of determining a proposal exceeds the threshold limit set, current licence holders would still be able to renew their licence and exemptions would also apply to the policy.

“However, there would be a general presumption that no new applications would be granted a HMO licence on grounds of overprovision where the thresholds have been exceeded.”

Consultation would be required before the new policy was adopted, and the current town centre moratorium would remain in place until then.

Source: The Courier

Marketing No Comments

Almost 20 rogue shared houses served with enforcement notices since start of year

The landlords of almost 20 shared houses in Brighton have been told to convert them back into family use since the beginning of the year as the council’s crackdown on rogue HMOs continues.

And the council has also won four appeals by landlords against the council’s decision to refuse permission to convert more homes into HMOs – after all four have already been converted.

Four of the 19 houses served with enforcement notices are in Brading Road off Elm Grove, an area which has experienced trouble with antisocial behaviour in the past.

In 2015, a man was punched in the face and hit in the head with a can of beer after he complained about noise from a party in Brading Road. This was not one of the houses served with a notice, but other partygoers told neighbours it was a student area so they shouldn’t be complaining.

The university subsequently banned students in two houses in the road from throwing any more parties. A suspect was identified, but police decided there was not sufficient evidence to prosecute and the case was later dropped.

Toxish Doyle, who lived in Brading Road when the assault took place, said she and her disabled mother had eventually been forced to move because of problems with student houses.

She said: “I don’t live there any more for the pure reason that shared houses destroyed the environment and made it unsafe to live there with my disabled mother.

“So I believe it’s a great thing and hopefully the friends we have that live on the street still will get some more peace and quiet

“Every time I complained I was told it was a student area so I had no right to complain and that I should move! Finally we gave in. Luckily we were in a financial position that meant moving was just affordable.

“I just hope the couple of nice people I met student wise that really did respect the area don’t end up without housing. I’ve seen that happen before. The restrictions are a double-edged sword really.”

Councillor Julie Cattell, chair of the planning committee, said: “We are pleased the planning inspector agreed with our decisions. These HMOs did not create decent living space for their occupants.

“We would urge property owners to check whether planning permission is needed before going ahead with work as if permission is refused it could cost them thousands of pounds, both in legal costs and in putting properties back to how they were. The council also takes enforcement action when properties are not returned to their agreed use.”

An application to convert a first floor flat to a small HMO of five rooms and a kitchen at 33 Baker Street was refused but the works had already been done.

In considering the appeal the planning inspector noted that the kitchen could only comfortably hold two people at any one time while the ‘communal space’ for residents was a hallway with only room for a small sofa against one section of wall.

It was found that the communal area was being used to dry clothes and store items as there was not enough space in the rooms themselves.

The outdoor terrace at the property could only be used for part of the year and there was concern about increased noise and disturbance for neighbours.

In upholding the council’s decision, the planning inspector noted that the accommodation was of a poor standard and would be harmful to the living conditions of existing and future residents.

The planning inspector came to a similar conclusion at 33 Hallett Road, a semi-detached house in the Elm Grove area. This has already been turned into a six-bedroomed HMO to house students. The planning inspector agreed with the council that it does not provide satisfactory living conditions for those who will live there, and last week the council served a notice on the owners to cease use as an HMO.

Two properties, 33 Hillside and 2 Plymouth Avenue, in the Moulescoomb and Bevendean area of the city have permission to be smaller HMOs but have been turned into large (seven bedrooms or more) HMOs without planning permission.

The planning inspector upheld the council’s view that permission should be refused on these properties due to the inadequate internal space to provide acceptable living conditions. Both properties have recently had works to increase their size. One is an end of terrace house (Hillside), the other a bungalow.

The other houses served with notices are 103 Halland Road, 9 Isfield Road and 32 The Highway in Moulsecoomb; 1 and 3 Bristol Street in East Brighton; Flat 4, 154 Freshfield Road and 249 Queens Park Road in Queens Park; 27 Coldean Lane and 31 Park Road, Coldean; 9 Old Shoreham Road, Seven Dials; 27 Hollingbury Road, Hollingbury, 81 Washington Street and 9 Whichelo Place, Hanover; and land at 130 Coombe Road.

Outstanding appeals against planning refusal for HMOs are currently being considered for 72 Brading Road (one of the houses served with an enforcement notice), 40 Pankhurst Avenue and 29 Southampton Street.

Reports on recent and current appeals will be noted by councillors at the 4 April Planning Committee.

Source: Brighton and Hove News

Marketing No Comments

Southampton City Council to discuss renewal of HMO scheme

CALLS are being made for a crackdown on Southampton landlords in a bid to stamp out anti-social behaviour across the city.

Housing bosses say landlords need to take a tougher stance against tenants who make life a misery for neighbours.

The calls come as residents across the city are given their say on how landlords who run houses of multiple occupancy (HMO) are licensed.

The council’s current scheme, which covers Bevois, Bargate, Portswood and Swaythling, is set to expire in July.

Council housing bosses hope to renew the current policy, which they say has been a “success”.

But they are required to consult with residents first.

Ahead of the launch of the consultation, residents and councillors are calling for the council to toughen up the scheme, in order to tackle absent landlords and unruly tenants.

Sandra Lockhead, chair of the Central Portswood Residents’ Association, said the Portswood area has been “completely changed” by the influx of HMOs.

She said: “We’ve had major problems with anti-social behaviour, noise, damage to cars and rubbish piled up in the streets.

“It’s not acceptable behaviour.”

Mrs Lockhead blamed “marauding students” and “absent landlords” for the bulk of the problems.

She said: “Normally the agencies are quite good, but some of the landlords just don’t care.”

Mrs Lockhead’s concerns have been echoed by Portswood ward member, councillor Paul O’Neill.

He said: “I’ve had reports of late night parties, fireworks being set off in the early hours of the morning.

“They leave the bins out and in some areas you can’t even walk on the pavement.”

He added: “I think the scheme is working but within a certain remit.

“I think landlords need to be accountable to the residents in neighbouring properties.

“It should be similar to pub landlords, who have a responsibility to local residents.

“If they don’t get their customers to behave they face losing their licence.”

The council’s current additional licensing scheme was launched in 2013.

All HMO properties which have three or more occupiers from two or more households must be licensed and must comply with any set conditions.

This excludes those covered by the government’s Mandatory Licensing scheme.

The council says it has handed out 3500 HMO licences since the scheme launched five years ago – half of those with set conditions.

The authority says almost 40 per cent of properties do not comply.

In a report, set to be discussed by councillors tonight, housing chiefs says their is “still work to do to raise standards”.

But it states that since the introduction of the scheme, noise nuisance and waste complaints have fallen by more than 50 per cent.

Complaints by tenants about housing conditions have also fallen by 75 per cent.

Council leader, Simon Letts, said he was pleased to see the scheme supported by a Conservative councillor.

Meanwhile, the Southern Landlords Association, which represents members across the south east, has promised to work with the council during the consultation.

However, one of its directors, Peter Littlewood, rejected calls for tougher regulations.

He said: “In general, landlords as a whole do work with tenants to control anti-social behaviour.

“But if someone continues to do it, all you can do is evict.

“It is the council and police that have the powers to deal with it.”

The city council’s cabinet are set to make a final decision on the launch of the consultation at a meeting tonight.

The cabinet will then make review the result of the consultation at a meeting in June, in the hope of implementing a new scheme before the current one expires in July.

Source: Daily Echo