Issue - meetings

Report of the Cabinet Member Housing

RESOLVED THAT

re- prioritisation of areas of private sector housing work as highlighted in paragraphs 1.7 and 1.8 be approved, to enable the recruitment of a permanent member of staff to carry out HMO survey work and support enforcement officers in carrying out HMO Licensing duties following completion of the survey.

The Cabinet Member Housing introduced the report and explained that Cabinet had approved a report in March 2015 which proposed that a house condition and management survey of the private rented stock be carried out by consultant surveyors. This was in response to concerns from residents in St Pauls regarding Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO). He reported that the survey work was tendered but the tenders received were not of the quality or price to allow officers to recommend acceptance. The Government had since introduced proposals to extend mandatory HMO Licensing. This would require the identification of licensable HMOS and depending on the scope of any extension, the introduction of a discretionary HMO licensing scheme (Additional Licensing) may be appropriate to further control standards and the management of HMO’s within targeted wards.

The Cabinet Member reported that it had been decided to use internal resources to undertake the survey work and a recruitment process for a fixed term post for 18 months was underway. In the meantime existing staff had commenced the survey work. He said that the public questions addressed to Cabinet earlier on in the agenda reflected the increasing significance of this issue for residents and therefore it was imperative that this work progressed. He reported that Councillors Hobley and Walklett, ward members for St Pauls, supported this work.

The Leader added that this was an issue, albeit to a lesser degree, in his ward of All Saints and therefore this would also be subject to the survey work. He acknowledged that it was difficult to address the significant number of complaints against private landlords in the absence of targeted legislation. Other members agreed that this was a real issue and highlighted that the concentration of HMOs in one area could considerably change the character of that area in terms of its cohesiveness.

RESOLVED THAT

re-prioritisation of areas of private sector housing work as highlighted in paragraphs 1.7 and 1.8 be approved, to enable the recruitment of a permanent member of staff to carry out HMO survey work and support enforcement officers in carrying out HMO Licensing duties following completion of the survey.