Plans to clamp down on rise in shared houses

HOUSING CHIEFS in South Yorkshire have set out plans to clamp down on a steep rise in the number of shared houses that attract anti-social behaviour.

Cabinet members in Doncaster will discuss new measures to bring homes of multiple occupancy (HMOs) up to an acceptable standard.

A report seen by councillors on the planning committee highlights central areas in the town with high numbers of HMOs, many of which generate ‘problems with anti-social behaviour’. Figures show there are 978 HMOs in Doncaster – 83 per cent of which are based in Balby, Hexthorpe, the town centre, Intake and Wheatley Hills.

Across Doncaster, 57 per cent of all HMOs attracted a complaint to the council. In Hexthorpe alone, 46 out of 47 HMOs received a complaint between 2012 and 2017.

Housing chiefs said a “change in migration patterns, housing benefits and the attraction to property investors of low house prices” have all contributed to a large increase in the number of small HMOs.

Currently, landlords do not need planning permission to convert a house into a HMO with up to six bedrooms.

But if approved, an Article 4 Direction (A4D) and additional licensing schemes will mean landlords must apply for planning permission to change a property into a HMO.

Additional licensing measures give the council power to require all HMOs landlords included in the scheme to apply for a licence and provide details of the management arrangements and the property.

If approved, the direction is likely to come into force in summer 2019. This includes a 12 month period without which the council could be liable for compensation payments to property owners who wished to benefit from the permitted development rights that the A4D removes.