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Brighton & Hove plans to extend licensing of HMOs to improve neighbourhoods

By James Ledward
Jan 28, 2012 - 10:53:57 AM
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Cllr Liz Wakefield
Brighton and Hove Council have unveiled new plans to licence Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in targeted areas, including properties housing multiple students, to improve both the accommodation and neighbourhood relations.
 
The move underpins the council’s student housing strategy to cater for neighbourhoods with high numbers of homes with multiple tenants to curb problems such as noise nuisance and litter.

The strategy was devised in close talks with the universities, landlords and estate agents.
 
The council wants to hear from residents, students and others over a 10-week consultation on additional HMO licensing of HMOs of two or more storeys and three or more occupiers in the wards of Hanover and Elm Grove, Moulsecoomb and Bevendean and St Peters and North Laine, Hollindean & Stanmer and Queen’s Park.

These are the wards with the highest concentrations of smaller HMOs, including student HMOs.
 
HMO licensing was brought in under the Housing Act 2004 to improve conditions for tenants. This legislation also provided provisions for additional licensing areas where a need was identified, such as those included in the current proposals.
 
Councillor Liz Wakefield, Cabinet Member for Housing, said:
“Students bring many benefits to the city and there are many excellent landlords in the city.  But in areas of high concentrations of HMOs, especially where many students live together, there is a minority of landlords whose management is less than effective and encourages noise and litter nuisance. This additional licensing aims to address these problems while improving tenants’ housing conditions.”
 
The council currently licences more 800 HMOs of three or more storeys which have five or more tenants across the City.
 


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