The North East Lincolnshire Council has announced plans to improve data collection regarding houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) following a recent meeting of a cross-party working group. The council currently lacks sufficient evidence to support potential regulatory changes concerning HMOs.
During the meeting, council members reviewed the limited information available on HMOs, acknowledging that the rising prevalence of these properties, along with associated issues like parking difficulties and a decrease in available family housing, has become a significant political topic. The group emphasized the necessity for concrete evidence to substantiate any proposed actions concerning HMOs, highlighting ongoing community concerns.
According to a report presented to the councillors, the local authority possesses only minimal data to ascertain whether the existing stock of smaller HMOs negatively affects local communities. This lack of data complicates efforts to assess how many family homes have been converted into HMOs.
Cllr Philip Jackson, the council leader from the Conservative party, expressed the need for further investigations to better understand the significance of the issue and to gather the requisite data for informed decision-making. “We all want to focus on this issue because we recognize it”s a significant issue not only in North East Lincolnshire but also in other parts of the country,” he stated.
Echoing these sentiments, Cllr Nicola Aisthorpe, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, remarked, “We can”t fix what we can”t measure.” The working group reached a consensus to recommend additional analyses of census data alongside housing and economic needs assessments (HEDNA) to evaluate the number of HMOs and the availability of one-bedroom housing.
The council also plans to enhance data collection related to council tax and regulatory services involving smaller HMOs. Currently, available data indicates that there are 178 properties licensed as mandatory HMOs accommodating five or more residents, with 53 situated in Park Ward and 52 in Sidney Sussex.
Under existing regulations, only HMOs with seven or more bedrooms require full planning permission and licensing, while those with five or six bedrooms are subject only to licensing. Smaller HMOs, typically with three to four bedrooms, do not need either approval or notification, resulting in a significant gap in the council”s data on these properties.
“The rapid growth of HMOs indicates a severe shortage of accommodation for single individuals,” remarked Cllr Les Bonner from the Independents for North East Lincolnshire Group. He suggested that collaborations with social housing providers might help focus on the needs of single residents, expressing concern over developers prioritizing profit through HMO conversions.
Cllr Bonner shared a troubling anecdote about inadequate living conditions, stating, “I spoke to a lady who said she had to get up at three o”clock in the morning to ensure she could get to work by six.” The report introduced two possible measures for HMOs, including requiring licenses for three and four-bedroom properties and an Article 4 Direction, which would necessitate planning permission for all HMOs regardless of size in certain areas.
The previous full council meeting approved Labour”s proposal for a select committee to examine Article 4, which will overlap with the working group”s focus, primarily on selective licensing. New member Cllr Matt Patrick from the Labour party criticized the working group”s slow progress on HMOs, stressing the importance of the newly established select committee. In response, Cllr Aisthorpe explained the constraints on council resources, indicating that the staff available were not sufficient to address both HMO issues and selective licensing simultaneously.
