City council cabinet backs HMO crackdown after consultation shows public support

The city council’s new Labour cabinet has agreed to force landlords to apply for a ‘change of use’ if they want to turn a property into student rooms.

Under the move, known as Article 4, it also applies to Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) - properties rented to three different tenants or more.

Don Robbie, from the National Landlords Association (NLA) turned up at the meeting to claim the policy would be “bad news” for Worcester.

He said it would “restrict the development of much needed” shared homes, push up rents by limiting housing supply and “discriminate against those who can only afford” to rent.

“Landlords will no longer invest here - shared accommodation is needed by young professionals and workers, as well as the vulnerable and disadvantaged,” he said.

But the new leadership, which took over from the Conservatives last month, said public consultation had shown strong support for it.

Out of 176 responses from residents, 71 per cent backed the policy and 95 per cent of those said it should be city-wide.

At the moment, landlords can run student homes without applying to the council’s planners first, which has led to areas like St John’s getting very high concentrations.

The authority say it has led to neighbourly disputes, parking problems and threatens Worcester’s character unless the planning department can have a say first.

Councillor Geoff Williams, deputy leader, also said there was evidence first-time buyers were being “squeezed out of the market” by new HMOs.

Councillor Roger Berry, cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, said: “I would totally refute the suggestion we are making life difficult for the vulnerable in this city.

“As someone who has fought desperately for more housing, I believe this policy will make sure the right developments go in the right places.

“I don’t think it will cause greater problems and it’s the right way forward.”

It will come into force from July next year.