“A chance to swing the balance towards permanent residents “is how Liberal Democrats in Bath are describing the current government consultation on shared houses.

The government is thinking of changing the rules controlling Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) or shared houses. Currently some HMOs are subject to licensing conditions under the Housing Act 2004; however one of the options now under consideration by the government is a change to the “Use Classes Order” which would allow tighter planning controls over HMOs. The consultation is open till 7th August.

Oldfield Councillors Shaun McGall and Will Sandry have responded to the consultation themselves and have also written to residents in Oldfield – an area with many HMOs – to alert them to this opportunity.

This consultation is a chance to swing the balance towards permanent residents. There’s nothing wrong with HMOs in themselves, but problems can occur when areas become dominated by this type of living arrangement, as has happened in certain parts of Oldfield Park.

It is our view that local residents and Councils should be given the power to control over-concentrations of HMOs through the planning process. I would strongly encourage as many local residents as possible to consider responding to the consultation by August 7th – all the necessary information can be found here on our website.

Don Foster MP commented:

It is high time that the government looked at altering the rules on HMOs. It is quite clear that a heavy concentration of such houses causes certain issues and strains on communities, and currently there is little we can do to protect such communities.

Don hopes that residents living in areas of Bath which are densely populated by HMOs, such as Oldfield Park, will take the time to respond to the government consultation, as he will be. This is not about stopping people living in HMOs, clearly they serve a purpose, but about being able to control how and where they grow and finding a balance for local communities.