HMO

@Sparklybutold but the OP has not articulated any of those postions. She is crying constantly and not functioning about tenants that haven't moved into the HMO and describes other apparent tenants as 'looking rough'. There is nothing like the intellectual framework that may underpin your posts. Its all nudge nudge, wink wink.

I understand why this topic stirs strong reactions, but I think it’s unfair and unhelpful to label someone as racist simply for expressing concern about safeguarding and cultural attitudes toward women.

My position—and I believe the OP’s too—isn’t about race or ethnicity. It’s about values and behaviours that can pose real risks to women and girls, especially when individuals come from environments where misogyny is deeply entrenched and even institutionalised. In some countries, women are denied education, healthcare, and basic autonomy. That’s not a stereotype—it’s a documented reality.

Wanting to ensure that people entering our communities share and respect the rights we’ve fought hard to protect isn’t racist. It’s responsible. It’s about safeguarding—not scapegoating.

We should be able to talk about these issues without being shut down by accusations. If we can’t raise concerns about integration, vetting, and the protection of vulnerable groups, then we’re failing the very people we claim to support.

Your concerns are valid op.
There is a HMO near my property, sadly not filled with professionals or students and we have had to have the police, councillors and the management company involved on many occasions.

If moving isn't possible, liaise with your other neighbours and ensure everything is reported to all 3 agencies every time.
Get CCTV so you have evidence.

If the management company are failing to act and control the property it is possible to get it shut down... But it is a long process and you need evidence proving their inability to respond to issues.
It's a long process, but it is possible. Document everything and work with your other neighbours.
Good luck

You are absolutely right, all men can be a threat. However men from parts of the world that disregard the rights of women so badly and then do whatever they can to get here, bypassing all legal steps - yes, I don't want them living anywhere near me.

Now women and children from these same parts - by all means! Come and get all the support they can get.

However, there is a possibility it may be students/professionals etc (although students can bring there own issues) - I'm thinking of Clifton or the redlands in bristol where a lot of families are moving out because its become saturated with students.

@ThisOliveBiscuitdid you say the council has stopped article 4 so HMOs can be pushed through? So stopping opposition? If so - this lack of transparency would concern me.

Exactly.

I have a semi detached house with an HMO next door. One of them came over and asked me to be a little quieter on the stairs! Actually they are normally a delight.

One good thing is the many regulations regarding HMOs mean their fire regs are very tight and unlikely to burn your house down.

But you don’t know everything about your neighbours. If you’ve assumed that a group of men are an automatic risk because they’re brown skinned then yes, that does make racist. If what you’re saying is that any group of men living on your street make you anxious for your child then that’s not racist. A bit nuts, but not racist.

😂😂 on the nose.

And she is perfectly entitled to feel sad/concerned about it. I HAVE lived next door to this and it was a nightmare. There is an issue with groups of men being housed together and the behaviours that ensue. I am sick and tired of being branded racist for stating a reality, a fact - and I can say this with experience.

I have a young family, with young daughters - I would want to know who's living in my street, especially next door. Wouldn't you?

You are either a saint or a liar if you state you would have no concern - it is very easy to be virtue signalling on an internet forum because that's considered the ethical thing to do. Instead of seeing the situation for what it is.

Duplicate

True, at least she didn’t drag it out over 14 pages. I say she, but I’m picturing a sweaty Daily Express hack anxiously wondering if his typing sounds like a woman. ‘Women, they cry all the time don’t they? Yeah, I’ll put that.’

She could have said what she was really concerned about at the beginning. It took her long enough.

Your children will be going back to school soon and into a new year, with a new teacher presumably - are you not worried about how your near constant crying is impacting on them? Teachers will probably be keen to hear about how their pupils enjoyed the summer holidays and your children may very well describe their summer as 'mommy crying all the time and feeling very sad'.

And thank you for quickly revealing your racism rather than keeping us all in suspense.

My ideal neighbours next door - a quiet friendly couple in their 60s who’ve lived there years and are always willing to take out bins or feed pets while people are away - took in two Afghan asylum seekers. Who by the way were no problem at all.
There is absolutely no point worrying about this. Any house with any neighbours could become something different to when you moved in.

Whereas the ones nearest us are usually druggies and alcoholics.

Why do asylum seekers worry you?

OP, when I bought my house, it was opposite a doctor’s surgery, which was closed some years later (thanks for nothing, Tony Blair) and turned into a halfway house. I was really worried about this, but it’s been fine - some “characters” at the bus stop occasionally, and one incident when we had scaffolding up, but otherwise absolutely nothing. So don’t worry, OP - your concerns will in all likelihood never be realised.

Why assume that the tenants will be problematic? Why assume the tenants will be a threat to women and girls? It doesn’t sound like your neighbours were a threat to women and girls. All men are a threat to women and girls, the most dangerous man to any woman is the one she lives with.