Leeds HMO Lobby

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Aims and Objectives

Aims
Further to Object (ii) of the Constitution, the main aim of Leeds HMO Lobby is: to lobby for action on HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) - that is, to lobby government nationally to introduce legislation which will enable government locally to preserve communities from destabilisation by concentrations of shared housing.
· In order to preserve communities from destabilisation, HMOs must be limited.
· In order to limit HMOs, they must be identified.
· In order to identify HMOs, they must be clearly defined.

Objectives
The main objectives of Leeds HMO Lobby therefore are threefold:
(1) To lobby for definition of HMO. A clear definition is necessary to enable HMOs to be identified. There are currently different housing and planning definitions, which rely on the ambiguous concept of 'single household'.
The Lobby proposes -
· uniformity across housing, planning and other legislation;
· clarity of principle and terminology of definition;
· universality of application, regardless of size of HMO.
Leeds HMO Lobby advocates the adoption in English housing and planning legislation of the Scottish definition of HMO, that is, a dwellinghouse occupied by more than two people from more than two families.

(2) To lobby for identification of HMOs. Identification is necessary to enable limitation of concentrations of HMOs. Currently, the Housing Act 1996 provides for discretionary registration of HMOs (simple notification, or with control provisions).
The Lobby proposes -
· property registration, rather than licensing of landlords;
· mandatory notification of HMOs, rather than discretionary;
· universal registration, regardless of size of HMO.
Leeds HMO Lobby advocates the urgent introduction of licensing of HMOs, as proposed in the DETR Consultation Paper Licensing of HMOs - England 1999.

(3) To lobby for limitation of HMOs. Limitation is necessary to preserve communities from destabilisation. Currently, there are no effective measures available.
The Lobby proposes -
· differentiation between HMO and other forms of residential use;
· resistance to the destabilising tendency of concentrations of HMOs;
· restriction of concentrations of HMOs.
Leeds HMO Lobby advocates measures which enable concentrations of HMOs to be limited,
such as # retention of the special control provisions of the Housing Act 1996;
or # revision of Class C3 of the Use Classes Order 1987 (as provided by the DTLR Consultation Paper Use Classes Order 2002).

[See 'What is a HMO?' for the current position on the definition, identification and limitation of HMOs.]

Leeds HMO Lobby
13 May 2002

Leeds HMO Lobby
email: hmolobby@hotmail.com website: www.hmolobby.org.uk/leeds