Badly run HMOs are 'dragging down' Luton's image to potential investors, says councillor

“It’s one of the most major issues that’s affecting the town,” according to Liberal Democrat Wigmore councillor Peter Chapman.

“The option to do nothing just isn’t there,” he told the borough council’s overview and scrutiny board.

“In some areas it’s become so bad that any potential investor coming into Luton would be put off immediately from investing in the town because of how it’s dragging certain parts down.”

The board was recommended to consider options around enacting an Article 4 direction in the town. Under existing planning rules, landlords can convert a family home into a small HMO with up to six occupants without the need for planning permission.

An Article 4 Direction removes these permitted development rights, meaning all new HMOs in a designated area would require planning consent.

The issue has been “shunted around” according to Liberal Democrat group leader and Barnfield councillor David Franks.

“The scrutiny board on at least three occasions has asked executive to move forward on more regulation of HMOs,” he said.

“We’ve asked for an Article 4 direction,” he added. “We’ve asked for the licensing scheme.

“We’ve asked for the supplementary planning document to give the development control team more powers.

“Every time we have requested these actions the executive has agreed.

“And, every time we receive an update, we get a list of excuses or reasons why it can’t be done.

“I’m getting bored of hearing how it can’t be done. What I want to be told is how it can be done.

“The latest is the council’s selective licensing scheme has been delayed,” he added.

“I’m really annoyed with the way this is being shunted around. I think we need to deal with it now.

“We need to recommend the executive either confirms its view this should be done or introduces a formal delay. We need some firm directions.”

The council’s planning policy manager Sarah Barker told the board a report on HMOs was presented last August.

“Since that meeting we have received a petition from the Friends of High Town residents’ group requesting an Article 4 direction,” she explained.

“One of the challenges we have with HMOs in Luton is it’s difficult to distinguish between an HMO and a house which has been sub-divided into flats.

“If we went down an Article 4 direction route, that would all need to be reviewed and we’d have to work out how to approach planning applications.

“The people you need to control don’t ever come into the planning system formally.

“They get picked up through the planning enforcement route, which is harder for us to deal with because this isn’t fee generating.

“So it’s a discretionary service and we’re running it at a loss.”

Implementation of the selective licensing scheme has been delayed until August 1, 2020, at the earliest, the board heard.

Service director, planning and economic growth Sue Frost said: “To do an Article 4 direction, it’s a huge amount of work to build the evidence base, particularly for planning.

“We can be challenged on our evidence and we can be subject to appeals and costs.

“It’s been difficult for the team for various reasons, which I won’t go into here.”

Councillor Franks proposed the report be referred to the executive with a request from the board about how it intends to regulate and reduce the numbers of HMOs in Luton.

The board noted that the selective licensing scheme would lead to some improvement in quality and standards, but not reduce the numbers of new HMOs being introduced in key areas of the town.