Portsmouth City Council has become the latest local authority to launch a clampdown on shared rental housing.
If successful, it will mean that every time a house is turned into a rented property with three sharers up to a maximum of six, planning permission will have to be sought for change of use to a new class of small House in Multiple Occupation.
Under new planning laws, authorities can simply allow the change of use under permitted rights. But councils which want to control HMOs can choose to apply to cancel permitted rights under an Article 4 direction and make it necessary for planning permission to be sought. Councils are under no obligation to grant permission.
The city council will make a decision tonight and any new regime would come into force in November.
The National Landlords Association has launched a new social media campaign to fight the measure. The Facebook and Twitter campaign is called Save Housing In Portsmouth (SHIP).
The NLA said the plans would have a devastating effect on the city’s supply of private rental accommodation .
David Salusbury, NLA chairman, said: “Unfortunately Portsmouth, like other cities across the country, has a lack of good-quality affordable housing. The proposed Article 4 designation will ensure it has even less.
“Aside from the obvious impact this will have on local landlords, these plans will be devastating for the many people who have little option other than to rely on shared housing.
“Be they young professionals unable to get on the property ladder, students unable to secure accommodation on the University of Portsmouth campus or vulnerable and low income people on Portsmouth City Council’s housing waiting list, all will struggle to find a home.”
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