Private landlords in a south coast town are furious with council chiefs as they impose new rules which may cost them thousands of pounds.
Southampton Council have enraged property investors in the town by bowing to pressure from resident associations and changing the rules surrounding Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs). In future landlords will have to get planning consent for all new homes that are to be shared by 3 to 6 unrelated people and planning permission will not be granted in three districts of the town if more than 10% of the houses in the area are already HMOs.
The council have been under constant criticism from resident groups who say the burgeoning student population in the town has led to many districts becoming noisier, dirtier and more susceptible to anti-social behaviour. A freedom of information request showed that over 500 complaints had been made to the council last year about problems involving private rented homes and not one landlord had been prosecuted. It now seems the council have been stung into action.
Cllr Daniel Fitzhenry, cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “This is about protecting family homes in the city and keeping our local neighbourhoods as vibrant, community led places to live. This will be backed up with further powers which will allow us to crack down on rogue landlords. Many people from the across the city have asked me to protect family homes and create more family homes in Southampton and this will certainly help with that.”
A spokesman for the Southern Landlords Association said investors would probably now look to other towns to buy properties and landlord insurance leaving Southampton with a serious housing problem. He said: “The effect will be to reduce affordable accommodation in the private rented sector for those who are the most vulnerable and I think that’s unacceptable.”