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City votes for student HMO crack down By Simon Thompson |
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Chester is the latest University City where councillors have taken on special planning powers to limit the number of shared houses rented to students.
From July 2013, student landlords wanting to open a new small house in multiple occupation (HMO) shared by three to five tenants in the city’s Garden Quarter must apply for planning permission before letting.
The move is aimed at clamping down on the number of HMOs in the neighbourhood. The council alleges the homes spark antisocial behaviour, litter problems and parking issues for other residents.
Any HMO in the Garden Quarter is deemed to have permission from July – only new HMOs and those switching from HMOs to other uses and back to HMOs need apply for planning permission.
Cheshire West councillors voted unanimously for the article 4 planning direction to restrict HMOs after an eight week consultation with landlords, homeowners and letting agents.
Councillor Herbert Manley, executive member for prosperity, said: “We have listened to the concerns of residents about the problems associated with the uncontrolled growth of houses of multiple of occupation.
“We are trying to ensure the quality of life of people living in the Garden Quarter is maintained and that they don’t have to put up with constant change in their neighbourhood.”
HMO protest
Meanwhile councillors in Inverness are expected to reject a call for article 4 planning powers over small HMOs despite protests and petitions from residents and businesses in the city centre.
Highland Council will vote on a recommendation not to limit HMOs – but will reconsider the call when the number of shared houses reaches 10% of all homes in the city centre.
Businesses argue that the proposal only looks at the number of HMOs and not the number of tenants – which could rise to 20 or more students per property.
Inverness Business Improvement District manager Mike Smith said: "The recommendation for a 10% concentration qualification is not relevant as one HMO unit may house three to five people while another could have as many as 20, 30 or even 40."
To show the level of dissatisfaction, a 400-signature petition organised by businesses in the city was handed to councillors.
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Landlords warned - prepare for more regulation |
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Landlords in England are being warned that they should prepare for more regulation after the government published a consultation.
The warning comes from Tim Miles who is a partner at law firm Clarke Willmott.
He says that the Government is cons |
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Research reveals that 2017’s rents fell in real terms |
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The rents being paid to landlords in all parts of the UK fell in real terms during 2017, research suggests.
The findings from HomeLet reveal that rents in November rose by 0.7%.
That's the 11th straight month that rent increases have fallen beh |
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Rents for the UK’s rental properties rise by 2.1% |
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The average rent for a buy to let property grew by 2.1% in the year to September, an index has revealed.
The figures from HomeLet show that the average rent now being paid is £927 every month.
For landlords in London, rents rose by 1.9% o |
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Landlords start exiting the buy to let sector |
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One leading firm of letting agents is warning that buy to let investors are beginning to exit the sector.
The warning comes from Belvoir who say that while the numbers of landlords leaving is not huge, there is a trend appearing.
The firm's chi |
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Landlord confidence takes a knock |
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Despite the prospect of high yields and profitability, a survey has revealed the landlord confidence around the UK has fallen.
The findings from BM Solutions looked at all the key indicators for the second quarter of 2017.
They say that the lev |
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Landlords 'don't know what tenants want' |
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Landlords in the private rental sector are out of touch with their tenant’s wants and needs, according to new research.
The findings from an online letting agent revealed that tenants are clear most often about what they want and t |
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