To accept a huge loss on my house

Yeah... I lived in HMOs for ten years in my 20s and 30s. I'm a quiet, clean professional! As were my housemates. They were quite nice houses too.

Totally depends on who is living in it - the one closest to me houses alcoholics, the man who begs outside the co-op (who I happen to know professionally is a crack addict) and newly-released paedophiles. Large group of men permanently hanging about outside drinking, and shouting at nothing. Loads of trouble, police round there regularly.

A professional flat share would be absolutely fine.

@Bambamhoohoo I agree in many cases people are unfairly against any HMOs and the restrictions my area put in were extremely nasty comments ("not our sort of neighbours") and not based on any evidence there were actually more problems.

There also are though a lot of landlords who convert properties into large HMOs without the relevant permissions etc. A licence is just that they meet various min fire regulations etc. One bit of the council doesn't talk to the other.

It's particularly unfair that where I am now three sharers on the same licence can't rent a house without planning permission. So a lot of landlords won't rent to them now and more have to be in (worse) large properties with strangers and no living room etc.

Edit: And then we wonder why more young people end up with mental illness...

I remember that she requested copies of the planning apllications, dived into the company, their proposal, everything. Lobbied the council, ran a petition, met personally with the local MPs and councillors. She really went to town. I think it took months as well.

I’m not sure why people’s immediate response is to make sure he has the right documentation, there is no reason at all to think he hasn’t.

there is loads of HMo bashing where I live OP, and I don’t get it. When they were shared houses no one noticed or cared: when laws came in to make sure they were safe and suitable it’s like people lost their mind and assumed they’d be living next door to a homeless hostel. Most strange!

Sorry for second post saw post above mone - the reason I have said to depends on your area as many councils have removed permitted development rights for smaller HMOs so they do need planning permission.

Report issues to the council. They will check the license and tenancy’s against the license. You can request info about the HMO license from the councils register. I’m sure there are minimum room sizes in law since 2025 for HMOs. Assuming his house is the same footprint as yours have you checked the size of the bed rooms doubling from 3 to 6. Just because he has other properties doesn’t necessarily mean he is operating this one within all the rules.

First find out if it is genuinely allowed. two separate issues:

• Does it have a HMO licence?
• Does it have planning permission?

Depends on your area I think of a six bed HMO needs planning permission.

Contact your local councillor or MP?

How did you get it closed down?

It depends, but often a permit is not needed for smaller HMOs (up to 6 tenants), as this can be a "permitted development". However, your neighbour will need permission if the property is in a specific area, if the HMO will have 7 or more tenants, or if their local council requires a license for their type of HMO. It is highly recommended they apply for a "Lawful Development Certificate" to confirm the change is permitted

This is the AI version.

Did he not need planning permission for a change of use?
Were you never contacted by the council over the use of the property?
Is this something worth looking into?

If they get a licence to create a HMO, the easiest and quickest way to make money is to rent it straight to the council. The council will then house who they want, usually the people that do not qualify for a full council property and can not private rent. Usually the developers are companies, and quite often not even british owned, so they manage it from overseas and could not give a flying fuxk who is placed in a road or about the neighbours or families living nearby.
Found this all out when my friend successfully fought one being proposed next door to her.

I lived next door to a hmo and it was awful. The noise alone was terrible. It was also all men. Over 3 floors. My house next door. I had an lovely attic room done for my eldest but every night one of the men next door would scream/shout. Like he was in pain and upset . Every other week some sort of fight/disagreement.
So although completely unfair to you I would take the loss if you can afford too.

I live next door to an unofficial HMO, it is wrecking my mental health.

Sorry I see now my suggestion has already been suggested.

Sadly HMOs sometimes come with a lot of noise. One been converted on this street and v noisy. Many could be fine but totally see the issue for buyers. Often short term lets too

This is surprising to me. Our old home we lived next door to a HMO. We bought it knowing it was a HMO and didn’t think to knock the price down. It was sold to a couple and we said it was a HMO when they asked about neighbours and they didn’t bat an eyelid either.

They were actually great to live next too. They never used the garden so no noise in summer and never had a problem with them.

I wouldn't hold out much hope about that. The house next door to me is an unoffiacal HMO, it is a two up two down terrace with a floating population of around 10 adults. This is a selective licensing area and they are toothless, I have reported this house numerous times, it is overcrowded and in a poor state of repair, the very things that selective licensing schemes are meant to stop. They do nothing, despite assuring me that they are aware of the issues and will be taking action! This was over 2 years ago! Like the OP, my house has decreased in value due to having this property next door to me and the only buyer I would get would be an exploitative BTL landlord,

I took a massive hit on my flat after a drug using/dealing family moved in upstairs. I bought the flat for £28k and sold it for £18k. This was in 1999 hence the price - but my point is i took a hit of a third of my mortgage, thank god I had an inheritance - which was a huge amount of money to me and could have changed my life in other ways but worth every penny for my mental health. (Actually it did change my life for the better)

If you can afford it just do it. You won't regret it.

Oh, I really feel for you

If the HMO was granted without the council doing proper procedures, could the LGIU help? Probably not because they're all in cahoots but just thought it was worth mentioning.

Otherwise, yeah, just to see if he wants to buy another one

I hate what's being done to this country.

We did that with my late father's flat after he died. Offered it to a guy who owned 3 other flats in the block. Worked like a charm. The guy was only too pleased to get it and what we "lost" on the price we "made" on no EA fees.

I feel for you OP. We’re desperately trying to sell our 1 bedroom flat now we have a toddler but the world feels against us. Just as we were preparing to sell when I was pregnant storm ciaran took the roof off the building resulting in us having to move out for a year while the flat was totally gutted and refurbished. We moved back in last December and listed again in May, right after our management agency published a 20 year maintenance plan that has to be shared with potential buyers, and work is about start on building a hospital next door (there always was a hospital building next door but now it’s been demolished and we face a several year build). I’m beginning to think that just to get the space we desperately need we’ll have to sell cheap enough to mean we can’t afford to buy again ourselves 😕 It just feels so unfair.

In your case, have you thought of offering yours to the same landlord that owns next door??