Kentish Express Ashford & District
Blight across town
Petition to stop multiple occupation home
Campaigners say the growth of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) is becoming a blight on neighbourhoods across Ashford.
The houses, often rented from private landlords, are occupied by several tenants, each with their own bed- room, who share bathroom, kitchen and living facilities.
Anti-social behaviour, noise and littering are just three of the issues neighbours say they have to deal with.
A petition has now been launched by residents in response to an application which seeks to convert a three-storey family home in Beaver Road, South Ashford, into a seven bedroom HMO.
It was started by father-of-five Kevin Wagstaffe, who lives next door to the property.
He said: “We face the prospect of having essentially seven ‘front rooms’ with the associated noise from televisions or music on the other side of the party wall which divides our properties.
“We do need affordable housing. But I’m not sure HMOs are the answer.”
Anti-social behaviour, noise and littering are just three of the issues neighbours of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) say they have to deal with.
There are more than 65 registered HMOs in the borough of Ashford with more being developed every month.
The houses, often privately owned, are occupied by several tenants, each with their own bedroom, who share bathroom and kitchen facilities.
The neighbours of these properties say they are fed up with the side effects that come with them, which can include fighting, parking problems and fly-tipping.
A petition has been launched by residents in response to an application which seeks to convert a three-storey family home in Beaver Road into a seven-bedroom HMO, which was submitted recently to Ashford Borough Council.
It was started by Kevin Wagstaffe, who lives next door to the property in Beaver Road, and has already attracted 40 signatures.
Father-of-five Mr Wagstaffe said: “This proposal has caused untold stress within our family, since we face the prospect of having essentially seven front rooms with the associated noise from televisions or music on the other side of the party wall which divides our properties.
“These are old properties and having lived here for over 20 years I can assure you that there has always been a tolerable level of noise transferred from the neighbouring properties but since they have been occupied by families we have all been respectful of each others’ peace and quiet and don’t have TVs turned up too loud.
“Even so we can hear day-today noise from vacuum cleaners so none of us tend to use noisy appliances late at night or whenever immediate neighbours are ill or trying to rest between shifts at work.
“Other concerns which we fear will impact on our quality of life, and that of other residents, include parking, which is already extremely restrictive.
“To try and cram in up to seven more vehicles is a major concern.
“Noise and disturbance and anti-social behaviour: we already experience both from other HMO properties in the road, and the amount of wheelie bins required for seven tenants.
“Obviously not everyone will be a bad neighbour. And we do need affordable housing. But I’m not sure HMOs are the answer.
“This has always been a nice friendly community rarely beset by problems between neighbours. We all just get along and look out for each other.
“My underlying fear is that should this proposal be passed it will be detrimental to the quality of life for everyone in the immediate area and in the process destroy the pleasant sense of community that has endured for many years.”