Agenda item

This report considers how best to respond to the challenges facing the shared housing sector in terms of supply, quality and effects on parts of the City.  It seeks authority to confirm the Article 4 Direction made by the Council on the 15^th April 2011 and advises Members on measures available to improve the management and condition of HMOs.

Note:

Annex A to the above item, which is the report to the LDF Working Group on 10 January 2011, has not been included in the printed version of this agenda but is available on-line.

RESOLVED: (i)         That Option C be agreed as outlined in paragraph 4 of the report; that is, to explore approaches to improving the standard of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and confirm the Article 4 Direction at Annex C to the report, covering the urban area of the City, to take effect on 20 April 2012.:

REASON:      To provide a co-ordinated approach to addressing the issues of quality and local impact associated with HMOs within the urban area of York.

                        (ii)        That Officers be instructed to continue to work with stakeholders and landlords’ representatives to develop a strategic approach towards HMOs, taking into account the offer made at the meeting by the York Residential Landlords’ Association to work with the Council to address the management of HMOs.

REASON:      To encourage the involvement of all interested parties in improving the management of HMOs.

                        (iii)       That the impact and effectiveness of the implementation of the Article 4 Direction and other measures introduced be reviewed and considered 12 months after they have taken effect.

REASON:      To ensure that these measures are effective and enable any problems to be dealt with.

                        (iv)       That Officers work with the universities and students’ unions to secure the provision of more dedicated accommodation for students.

REASON:      To help minimise any adverse effects on communities of the increase in the student population in York.

Members considered a report which outlined the challenges facing the shared housing sector in York and suggested options for addressing these issues.  Specifically, it examined whether to confirm the Article 4 Direction made by Council on 15 April 2011 to remove permitted development rights for change of use from dwelling houses to houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), and advised of the measures available to improve the management and condition of HMOs, such as an accreditation scheme.

Houses in Multiple Occupation represented a significant and growing proportion of all housing sectors in York, due to expansion of the universities, current economic conditions and proposed changes to the benefit rules.  The adverse effects of this increase In some parts of the City, including an increase in anti-social behaviour and crime, poorer standards of property maintenance and repair, and increased noise and littering, had been highlighted by residents and by an analysis carried out in September 2010.  Existing and suggested approaches to improving the management and condition of HMOs, including the introduction of an accreditation scheme, were set out in paragraphs 10 to 22 of the report and in Annex B.

The report provided an analysis of the representations received to consultation on the Article 4 Direction and invited Members to consider the following options:

Option A – no change to current approach towards housing standards in private rented sector, and no confirmation of the Article 4 Direction.

Option B – explore approaches to improving the standard of HMOs through an accreditation scheme, but do not confirm the Article 4 Direction.

Option C – explore approaches to improving the standard of HMOs and confirm the Article 4 Direction (Annex C) covering the urban area of the City.

Option D - explore approaches to improving the standard of HMOs and amend the Article 4 Direction in the light of representations received.

Option E – no change to current approach towards housing standards in private rented sector and amend the Article 4 Direction in the light of representations received.

Having taken into account the consultation responses to the making of the Article 4 Direction and the comments made at the meeting under Public Participation / Other Speakers, it was

RESOLVED: (i)         That Option C be agreed as outlined in paragraph 4 of the report; that is, to explore approaches to improving the standard of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and confirm the Article 4 Direction at Annex C to the report, covering the urban area of the City, to take effect on 20 April 2012.^{1 & 2}

REASON:      To provide a co-ordinated approach to addressing the issues of quality and local impact associated with HMOs within the urban area of York.

                        (ii)        That Officers be instructed to continue to work with stakeholders and landlords’ representatives to develop a strategic approach towards HMOs, taking into account the offer made at the meeting by the York Residential Landlords’ Association to work with the Council to address the management of HMOs. ³

REASON:      To encourage the involvement of all interested parties in improving the management of HMOs.

                        (iii)       That the impact and effectiveness of the implementation of the Article 4 Direction and other measures introduced be reviewed and considered 12 months after they have taken effect. ⁴

REASON:      To ensure that these measures are effective and enable any problems to be dealt with.

                        (iv)       That Officers work with the universities and students’ unions to secure the provision of more dedicated accommodation for students. ⁵

REASON:      To help minimise any adverse effects on communities of the increase in the student population in York.