The Landlords Union “Press Liaison” Questions HMO Minimum Room Size Impact Assessment

The Landlords Union “Press Liaison” Questions HMO Minimum Room Size Impact Assessment

11:49 AM, 8th May 2018, About 6 years ago 109

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We were recently approached by a landlord of a four bedroom HMO property whose Local Authority had contacted her to remind of the approaching restrictions on minimum room sizes. One of this landlords bedrooms was slightly below the 6.51 sq metre limitation, which becomes effective from 1st October under  ‘ The Licensing of Homes in Multiple Occupation ( Mandatory Conditions of Licensing ) Regulations, 2018.

The landlord’s options are quite limited. She will have to serve a Section 21 Notice on the tenant of the smaller bedroom, who, hitherto, has been content with this accommodation for the level of rent paid. Its worth pointing out that so too were the Local Authority, as there is ample residual living space in the rest of the property.

Also, and as a consequence, the rent for the remaining three tenants will have to increase to the maximum that the market rate can bear. This will be more than currently payable, but no doubt still at some loss to the landlord.

Interestingly, there is a detailed 22 page Impact Assessment published by MHCLG, albeit omitting the number of units of accommodation that are foreseen to be lost by this legislation, the amount of rental increase other tenants in the property will incur and the resultant financial loss to landlords from rent not recoverable.

We have written to Cynthia Brathwaite , the author of the Impact Assessment to ask:-

  1. How many units of accommodation are expected to be lost, and
  2. What impact the reduction in units of accommodation will have financially on landlord and tenants?

Unbelievably, the Impact Assessment Report makes no reference to these fundamental issues!

It is suspected the reasons these factors are not covered is because the government believe, naively, that Landlords will just downsize without financial compensation and suffer the loss of rent ‘on the chin’ together with the license fee.

[ The above links to another piece of work about the causes of rent increases, soon to be published. Watch this space! ]

Whilst we are waiting for a response to the fundamental questions raised, it would be useful if members have any similar experiences that publicise in regards to “true consequences”. Please post comments below or email Press@Property118.com


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Comments

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

18:48 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by marek at 12/05/2018 - 18:42
We are where we are, but you still haven’t answered my questions

Chris @ Possession Friend

19:08 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by marek at 12/05/2018 - 18:42
So, what do you propose Marek, you give lost of comments but no suggestions, and you can't answer a straight question ( your not a politician are you ? )
Lets see if you can answer my question, should the tenants who willingly chose to rent a room smaller than 6.51 sq m. be evicted, or should the law be opposed / changed ? I don't see any other alternatives for all those tenants - but if you have some suggestions what they should do after October, - lets hear them.

marek

19:40 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Chris Daniel at 12/05/2018 - 19:08
Here goes again then - "What to do with those 'cells' that already exist is not a subject that I am commenting on here" as I already wrote.
I am an architect, the issue is of one of politics.
On a practical level the problem is simply this - while a very small room in a house or a large flat used by one family tenant could be tolerated, it is not so if all that a tenant gets is a tiny room. In my view it should not be allowed to convert accommodation with small rooms, like the ones discussed here, to HMO. This however is a matter of politics and building control. This would be it from me for now.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

19:47 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by marek at 12/05/2018 - 19:40
You still haven’t answered my questions, or Chris’ question for that matter.

It’s all very well to criticise, condemn and complain, BUT only if you have answers to questions in regards to the consequences of your suggestions. That is why so many people are disillusioned with politics at the moment.

So, two straight yes or no questions for you, can you answer the questions raised raised by Chris and I and are you going to do so?

marek

19:49 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 12/05/2018 - 19:47
Here goes yet again then - "What to do with those 'cells' that already exist is not a subject that I am commenting on here" as I already wrote.

Robert M

19:53 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by marek at 12/05/2018 - 19:40For what it's worth Marek, I agree that homes should be built with decent sized bedrooms (and indeed other rooms), but we cannot change 100+ years worth of housing so the reality is that the vast majority of Britain's housing stock has at least one small bedroom.

The original post asks about how many units of accommodation would be lost and what would the financial affect be on the other residents of the HMOs, so your comments about the idealogical size for rooms does not address these questions, or indeed make the slightest difference to the housing stock that Britain already has. As valid as your arguments may or may not be, they are really more suitable to a discussion on what room sizes builders should be building from now on.

Perhaps as an architect you could feed into any governmental consultations on future house building specifications, and I am sure that most landlords and tenants alike would agree with your sentiment that houses should be built with bigger room standards, but this is an entirely separate discussion to this particular post.

marek

19:56 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Robert Mellors at 12/05/2018 - 19:53
Thanks Robert. Noted.

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

20:06 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by marek at 12/05/2018 - 19:49
I will take that as a double NO then Marek.

Well done to Robert Mellors for his suggestions and your acceptance of them.

marek

20:10 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Mark Alexander at 12/05/2018 - 20:06
How do you run a business Mark if you invent answers to questions, when no actual answers were given...?
Hmmm, are you, maybe, a politician ;----)

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

20:16 PM, 12th May 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by marek at 12/05/2018 - 20:10
I asked you a Yes or No answer on whether you were going to answer my questions. You refused to do so, hence your answer is obvously NO.

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