Threshold to be set for permitted HMOs

A threshold will be set for the number of HMOs permitted in St Andrews.

Residents of the town, where students account for more than half of the population, are to be consulted on whether the new policy should restrict the number of houses in multiple occupation to current levels or allow up to 3% more.

A moratorium imposed several years ago on new HMOs in the town centre has been blamed for helping to push up house prices to an average of £360,000 and the spread of rental properties, mostly occupied by students, in outlying residential areas.

Fife Council’s community and housing services committee agreed to introduce an overprovision policy and consult on the preferred option.

Labour councillor Neil Crooks said: “This is not a simple issue for our committee to deal with, it’s not a simple issue for St Andrews to deal with, if it had been I’m sure a resolution would have been found before now.”

Professor Richard Olver, of the Confederation of St Andrews Residents Association, told the committee it should be the university’s responsibility to match expansion of student numbers with purpose-built accommodation.

University vice-principal Alastair Merrill called for a delay so officials could seek a better understanding of the consequences of the restriction.

Student association president Paloma Paige said some landlords without HMO licences were simply locking bedrooms, and this was pushing up rent for tenants and reducing the supply of accommodation.

The committee chairwoman, Labour councillor Judy Hamilton, said: “This is a policy which has been long outstanding and we have been trying to do something about this for a long, long time.”

Feedback will be reviewed by the committee in February before the policy is finalised.