Salford and Wigan councils crack down on HMOs with fines and regulations
10 months ago | 2 comments
Converting empty homes into HMOs could help solve housing crisis
12:01 AM, 15th July 2025, 9 months ago
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Thousands of empty homes could become Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) according to new research.
Property management platform COHO, claim the way to solve the housing crisis is to return empty homes to the market as HMOs.
Currently, HMOs represent an estimated 1.8% of all housing stock in England. If this same proportion were applied to the country’s long-term empty homes, it could add more than 5,000 HMOs to the market.
Growing number of empty homes
As the Labour government claim to deliver 1.5 million homes by the end of the current Parliament, however, the growing number of empty homes presents a challenge.
According to the latest UK government housing data (2024), there are 264,884 long-term vacant dwellings across England, up 1.3% from the previous year.
On a regional level, the North West tops the list with 38,894 empty homes, closely followed by London (38,386) and the South East (35,869). The East of England has seen the sharpest rise, with an 8.2% year-on-year increase bringing the 2024 total to 28,103.
Immediate boost to supply
However, property management platform COHO claims that by converting empty homes into HMOs, more than 5,000 could be added to the housing supply, without building a single new home.
In London, HMOs make up an estimated 3.8% of all dwellings. Applying that proportion to the city’s 38,386 long-term vacant properties suggests scope for around 1,473 additional HMOs.
Using the same methodology, Yorkshire & the Humber could add 591 HMOs, followed by the South East (568), North West (526), South West (450), and West Midlands (446).
COHO founder and chief executive, Vann Vogstad, says councils should convert empty homes into HMOs to solve the housing crisis
He said: “This analysis highlights a clear opportunity for local councils and planning authorities to rethink how we utilise the existing housing stock, particularly the tens of thousands of long-term vacant properties that sit completely unused across the country.
“At a time when demand for affordable housing is at an all-time high, not least in densely populated cities where development space is limited, unlocking these homes as HMOs could provide a powerful and immediate boost to supply.”
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Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1640 - Articles: 3
3:20 PM, 15th July 2025, About 9 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Billy Gunn at 15/07/2025 – 12:38
Clearly, councils don’t believe having a safe place to live applies to our underclasses.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3515 - Articles: 5
3:57 PM, 15th July 2025, About 9 months ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 15/07/2025 – 15:20
…well in that situation, the answer is best leave the council to directly house them then…
ahhhh…say the councils….we don’t have enough….
Member Since July 2013 - Comments: 463
9:15 PM, 15th July 2025, About 9 months ago
Councils hate HMOs and regard them as the same as slum housing.
I have run HMOs as graduate houseshares for 27 years. There’s been the odd problem with tenants falling out or two guys fancying a girl but the girl preferred her cat and never doing her washing up or helping with the hoover, but in general they’ve been fine.
Councils’ and HAs’ prejudices against HMOs and their fear and ignorance of the management costs is reflected in the fact that you never see HMOs offered at social rents, even though people under the age of 35 can’t get benefits for more than a single room. They have abandoned a whole class of people entirely to the PRS, and then have the cheek to criticise private HMOs!
Pleases like taking the plank out of your own eye before criticizing others’ splinters spring to mind.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3515 - Articles: 5
9:54 AM, 16th July 2025, About 9 months ago
They need HMO’s for working singles, but don’t want HMO’s to be used for exempt accommodation but don’t have any state funded alternatives.
The need HMO’s for asylum seekers to get them out of hotels yet don’t stop them coming in, in the first place.
They want houses kept for families but then introduce caps (via SL) on occupancy levels which discriminate against bigger families being able to live in them.
They want to encourage those on the existing housing lists to look to the private sector but continually seek to vilify PRS LL’s and add more red tape/tax to the point where they reduce supply.
They want to ensure existing tenants cannot be evicted to the point it will automatically prevent certain tenants from even getting beyond the application stage.
Lots of wants, yet a total lack of understanding how to address any of this. Common theme? Promise the earth then fail to deliver while ensuring the existing situation further deteriorates.
Member Since July 2023 - Comments: 28
7:40 PM, 19th July 2025, About 9 months ago
When I got a job near Leeds in 74 I lived in a bedsit, despite earning twice the National Average wage at 23.
It was close to the centre of Leeds, not far from Headingley and was a large room and shared bathroom. Perfectly adequate for a single young lad.
I don’t know what the problem is with HMOs as long as everyone behaves in a civilised manner.
The answer is to make it easy to get rid of troublemakers
Member Since January 2025 - Comments: 57
1:56 AM, 20th July 2025, About 9 months ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 15/07/2025 – 15:20Turning 50% of the houses in a street to supported housing is a bit over the top don’t you think?
But I guess the owner occupiers who still live there just have to put up with it.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1640 - Articles: 3
9:34 AM, 20th July 2025, About 9 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Billy Gunn at 20/07/2025 – 01:56
This is now the country we live in. Put up and shut up!