New powers could stop spread of student housing (From Hampshire Chronicle)

New powers could stop spread of student housing

8:40am Tuesday 9th February 2010

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By Warwick Payne »

Winchester civic chiefs are considering new powers to stop the spread of student housing.

The Government plans to arm councils with the right to veto homes being turned into rented digs.

Winchester City Council is looking at the new rules — which the Government wants in force by April.

Existing Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are not affected by the plans.

Landlords would only need approval if they intend to place three or more tenants — who are not related — in a new property.

The increase in HMOs, especially on the council estates of Stanmore, Winnall and Weeke, has been a major social change in the city over the last 15 years.

The spread of student housing has been highly controversial.

Residents living near the university have previously complained about litter, parking and noise problems.

Friction points have included the Sparkford Road-Sparkford Close area near the King Alfred Campus, and across Stanmore.

Around 200 people met before Christmas to discuss the large amount of student homes that were now in Stanmore.

Those who spoke at the meeting included Alison Dudgeon, of Sleepers Hill. She welcomed the proposed crackdown on HMOs.

She said: “It’s time the council stood up and did something about it.

“The only thing that will stop the problem is if the University of Winchester cuts down on the number of students.

“At the moment it just wants to grow and grow and ruin Winchester.”

John Airey, who owns dozens of HMOs in Winchester, predicted the changes would have unintended consequences.

Mr Airey said tighter regulations would reduce supply, putting up rents and increasing homelessness.

“It is going to make property for rent like gold dust,” he said.

“I know this is coming in and the council will in future refuse nine out of 10 HMO applications.

“It is more wretched regulation from the Government and council.

“I don’t rent to students or DSS, I prefer better tenants.

“Students are bad payers unless mummy and daddy are paying.”

Mr Airey, a longtime critic of the city council, added: “They ought to get their own house in order first.

“They have more complaints about council house tenants than from people in HMOs. I haven’t had a complaint in 20 years.”

Cllr Keith Wood, the council’s cabinet member for planning, said it was looking at the new HMO rules.

He said: “I think it’s something that might interest us because there are some problems that are causing a lot of difficulty.”

He added: “We want to look very closely at the legislation to see what effect it might have and what the benefits might be.”

But even if the council was legally able to stop the spread of HMOs, he said it might be “difficult to enforce”.

The university, which has more than 5,000 students, says it is not concerned that the number of properties available will suddenly dry up.

A spokesman said: “We do not think that the outcome of the HMO consultation will have a very substantial effect.

“We are already reducing the need for private sector rented houses with 400 new university beds coming on stream in September 2010, and are looking at the possibility of sourcing another 300.”

John Bond, of the tenants’ group TACT in Weeke, said: “I think council houses should be used for what they were built for —family homes.”

What do you think? Leave your comments below.

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