Loughborough Echo

Council to investigat­e issues with rented homes and flats

Borough to look at HMO problems and student accommodat­ion

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CHARNWOOD Borough Council has secured a £65,000 government grant to investigat­e issues around houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) and privately rented properties.

The funding will allow the council to look at the impact of HMOs on tenants and the community and consider if further regulation of HMOs, and the privately-rented sector, is needed in the borough.

Coun Margaret Smidowicz, borough council lead member for licensing, said: “We have a number of privately-rented properties and houses in multiple occupation in Charnwood and this funding will help us further understand the impact they are having on the community and, if appropriat­e, build a case for greater regulation.

“We have some excellent landlords with well-managed properties who provide much-needed accom-

modation for students, families and individual­s. We need to ensure that those living in the community, who are sometimes very vulnerable, also live in well-managed and safe homes.

“We already have a thorough understand­ing of the number of HMOs in the borough thanks to research undertaken over the past three years with a project involving

Loughborou­gh University.

“In fact, we now have the clearest possible view about the number of HMOs in our borough, probably better than any other town or city in the country.

“This grant will allow us to build on that knowledge and consider a wide range of issues.”

The council secured £65,000 from the Ministry of Housing, Communi- ties and Local Government under its Rogue Landlord Enforcemen­t Grant scheme.

The funding will be used to conduct further investigat­ions into HMOs and privately rented properties in the borough and include visiting properties and speaking to residents.

It could provide evidence to introduce a discretion­ary licensing scheme for HMOs and privately rented properties.

There are approximat­ely 2,500 HMOs within Charnwood but only a number, just over 700 must be licensed under the current mandatory housing legislatio­n scheme.

However, the legislatio­n gives councils the power to introduce two further schemes - additional licensing and selective licensing.

The council says that additional licensing can only be considered if councillor­s believe a significan­t pro- portion of HMOs in the area are being managed sufficient­ly ineffectiv­ely and could require HMOs in a particular area to be licensed.

The licence holder would have to undergo a fit and proper person test and a licence would include conditions such as requiring supporting documents to be produced and conditions for the management, use and occupation.

Selective licensing is intended to address the impact that poorlymana­ged rented properties can have on the local environmen­t and to improve housing conditions.

Councils can designate an area as subject to selective licensing which would require landlords to obtain a licence to rent out a property in an area subject to selective licensing.

Once complete, the council will use the study to consider whether further licensing is needed in Charnwood.

 ??  ?? The number of student flats in Loughborou­gh has been a concern.
The number of student flats in Loughborou­gh has been a concern.

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