Council Prioritizes Data Collection on HMOs Amid Growing Concerns

North East Lincolnshire Council is taking steps to gather more comprehensive data on houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) due to increasing concerns about their impact on the community. A cross-party working group convened this week to discuss the limited information currently available, which hinders any potential regulatory changes regarding HMOs.

The council’s working group highlighted the urgency of the situation, noting that the rise in HMOs has brought issues such as parking problems and the conversion of family homes into rental properties to the forefront of local political discourse. A report presented to the councillors indicated that the local authority “currently holds very limited data to confirm or dismiss if the current stock of smaller HMOs have a negative impact on our communities.”

Challenges in Understanding HMO Landscape

The lack of data on smaller HMOs complicates efforts to assess the extent of family home conversions. Official figures reveal that there are currently 178 properties licensed as mandatory HMOs, accommodating five or more people. Of these, 53 are located in Park Ward and 52 in Sidney Sussex.

Under existing regulations, only HMOs with seven or more bedrooms require full planning permission and licensing. For those with five or six bedrooms, only a license is necessary. Unfortunately, smaller HMOs, which include properties with three to four bedrooms, do not require either, resulting in the council not being routinely informed of their existence. This gap in data has raised concerns among local leaders.

“We all want to focus on this issue because we recognize it’s significant not only in North East Lincolnshire but also in other parts of the country,” stated council leader Cllr Philip Jackson. He emphasized the need for further investigations and data collection to substantiate the issues associated with HMOs.

Liberal Democrat group leader Cllr Nicola Aisthorpe echoed this sentiment, remarking, “We can’t fix what we can’t measure.”

Addressing the Housing Crisis

The working group resolved to recommend enhanced analysis of census data and housing and economic needs assessments (HEDNA) to better estimate HMO numbers and the availability of one-bedroom housing stock. Additionally, officers will aim to improve data collection across council tax and regulatory services concerning smaller HMOs.

Concerns regarding the rapid growth of HMOs were underscored by Cllr Les Bonner, who pointed out that the increase reflects a pressing shortage of accommodation for single individuals. “It would be interesting to see whether we could persuade some of our social housing providers to concentrate on single people,” he remarked. Cllr Bonner also expressed dismay at developers prioritizing profit over community impact by converting homes into HMOs.

The report outlined two potential measures to address the situation: requiring licenses for three and four-bedroom HMOs and implementing an Article 4 Direction. This measure would not prohibit new HMOs but would require planning permission regardless of size in specific geographic areas. Recent council discussions included a proposal from the Labour party for a select committee to examine the implications of Article 4, which aligns with the working group’s focus on selective licensing.

New member of the working group, Cllr Matt Patrick, criticized the group’s progress thus far, stressing the importance of integrating the findings of the select committee into future strategies. In response, Cllr Aisthorpe explained that limited staff capacity has hindered simultaneous work on both HMO data collection and selective licensing.

As the council moves forward, the need for accurate data on HMOs remains critical. The ongoing discussions highlight a recognition of the broader implications of housing policies, not only for North East Lincolnshire but for communities facing similar challenges across the country.