The Council will decide on 1st November whether planning permission will be required to convert properties into Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) containing 3 to 6 – non family – residents. Planning permission is already required for larger shared households. The process involves making an “Article 4 direction” and this has been the subject of public consultation over the last 12 months.
There are about 2000 HMOs in the City and about 20% of these are already registered with the Council.
The issue was first raised by residents who lived near the 2 Universities in the City and who felt that properties which were being let as “rooms” sometimes detracted from the local environment. Mention was made of the summer period – when the properties were usually empty – when gardens could become overgrown nd buildings neglected.
There were also reports of lifestyle conflicts with age groups, in a street, varying wildly.
At the time there was cross party agreement on the Council that local planning committees should be able to consider setting a ceiling on the number o f properties, in a particular street or neighbourhood, which could be let as HMOs. As with all planning applications there would continue to be a presumption in favour of approval and any refusal could result in an appeal through an independent process.
What was more controversial was the possible introduction of a licensing system for such properties.
The Liberal Democrats favoured what is known as an “accreditation” scheme. Labour on the other hand, in October 2010, proposed that the Council immediately introduce a “selective licensing” scheme.
Landlords and/or properties can be “accredited”. It has similarities to a code of practise in that it relies on the voluntary compliance by private landlords with good standards in the condition and management of their properties and their relationship with their tenants. By acknowledging good landlords they enjoy a clear market advantage as tenants should rent from accredited landlords as they provide quality accommodation
Last year Labour proposed that the Council seek immediate powers to introduce “selective licensing”. Although at that time the plan – ironically proposed by Cllr Alexander who is now the Leader of the Council – was defeated, the introduction of “selective licensing” is one of the choices available to the Council on 1st November. Licensing would be expensive; costing around £500 per property per year, which would probably be passed on to tenants, some of whom are already paying £90 a week for a room.
It could also stigmatise a community as one of the tests for the introduction of such a scheme are high crime levels (which really don’t apply anywhere in York).
So we’ll see shortly whether Labour – now in charge at the Guildhall – do a policy U turn!