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NLA condemns shared housing proposals

Thursday 28th January 2010

The National Landlords Association (NLA), the private-residential landlord trade body, said government proposals requiring planning permission for shared housing or housese of Multiple Occupation will create a shortage of shared private rental properties.

In a statement, Housing and Planning Minister John Healey MP revealed plans which will require planning permission for new shared housing where three or more unrelated people live together.

Currently, 20 per cent of UK private-rented sector properties are shared, a rising figure year-on-year, said the NLA.

”HMOs play a vital role in providing much needed housing for students, young professionals and those on low incomes who rely on this type of affordable accommodation. Large cities across the UK greatly depend on shared housing as a first step. By making it more difficult and costly for landlords to provide this type of accommodation, these measures will reduce choice for tenants and increase pressure on local authority housing lists,” said the NLA.

The Rugg Review, an independent review of the private-rented sector commissioned by the Government, has already dismissed these changes to the planning system as an ‘extreme response’ which ‘local authorities are ill-equipped to handle.’

The Government clearly has no idea of the impact of this measure on the housing market, said the NLA.

The NLA also said the government is proposing to give councils general consent to introduce licensing schemes without seeking permission from central Government in so-called ‘hotspot areas’.

The current rules require local authorities to justify to the Secretary of State the need for any new licensing scheme. These proposals will result in a ‘nimby’s charter’ which will create ‘no-go’ areas for landlords, students, young professionals, low income families, migrant workers and a wide range of other groups who rely upon shared private-rented sector housing.

David Salusbury, chairman, NLA, said: “The Government has bowed to a small minority who shouted the loudest. It has ignored the vital role these homes play in contributing to vibrant and mixed communities. These plans will do nothing to improve housing or increase choice for tenants but are more about placating local protest groups in certain parts of the country.

“What we have before us is draconian and is quite simply using a sledgehammer to crack a nut. In addition, we can expect local authority planning departments to be swamped under increasing workloads owing to these new measures. This entire package will not contribute to the vibrant rental market the Government says it wants.”

The Government announcement can be downloaded at: www.communities.gov.uk/news/corporate/1447619

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