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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Shared Houses

57 replies

Cutecat78 · 06/04/2016 17:14

I know that it's really hard for young people to move out independently and I'm not sure what the easy answers are to that.

BUT 3 bed 2 rec house next door to us (attached side) has just sold and was bought by a couple who have let out all the rooms inc the reception rooms - so 4 people house sharing and a couple renting the master en suite meaning an extra six cars on a road with no off road parking and where here and in the surrounding streets parking is a massive issue.

We live in a street with about 40 old Victorian "family" homes and this is about the 6/7th time this has happened in recent years and our street just cannot cope with the extra cars meaning we sometimes have to park a few streets away (with a weeks shopping Hmm).

If houses are to be converted into flats planning permission has to be sought - AIBU to think there needs to be some limit on the amount of houses being divided up to be room lets on each street as I also feel the sense of community is disappearing what used to be families is now loads of young people coming and going who we never get to know.

AIBU? I guess I probably am Sad

OP posts:
specialsubject · 06/04/2016 17:16

FYI this is a 'house in multiple occupation' (HMO) and must be licensed anywhere in England/Wales. More stringent rules apply to these properties.

so presumably it is licensed and the council have inspected and approved it...

Original poster
Cutecat78 · 06/04/2016 17:18

Really? I did not know that...!!

OP posts:
thanksamillion · 06/04/2016 17:19

I was going to say what special said! Although I think that if it wasn't a couple in the master then it wouldn't qualify as an HMO as it has to have 5 or more people. Get on to your local housing department and see what they say.

Akire · 06/04/2016 17:19

The council can't liscence it only to people without cars and reserve these only for home owners that's just silly. It's just first come first served. If it makes you feel better house sharing his grim and often longer part of growing up growing old these days when I lived in shared housing my car was only place I could go for peace to study and not put up with everyone else's noise.

wonkylegs · 06/04/2016 17:21

HMO is smaller than 5 people, 5 people sharing classifies it as a large HMO which is where the additional rules kick in - details here www.gov.uk/private-renting/houses-in-multiple-occupation

Akire · 06/04/2016 17:22

I mean they may have 4 cars between them but so would a couple with three grown up children.

Original poster
Cutecat78 · 06/04/2016 17:27

Akire true - I did it myself but I don't particularly want to live next door to it now.

I presume all the working tenants will also pay the same amount of council tax and ourselves?

OP posts:
Original poster
Cutecat78 · 06/04/2016 17:27

*as

OP posts:
slebmum1 · 06/04/2016 17:34

We live in a Victorian terrace, no off street parking. Ndn has two cars and is an electrician running his own business. He has two sons working with him and they have a van each. So 5 vehicles for one terraced house.

Drives me mad so I get your point but you can't control it.

cozietoesie · 06/04/2016 17:36

There are HMO rules in Scotland as well.

BirthdayBetty · 06/04/2016 17:44

Contact your local council to see if they have a license to operate the house as a HMO.

specialsubject · 06/04/2016 18:00

HMO is now down to 3 unrelated people. The idea is to have more stringent requirements and so crack down on the 'beds-in-sheds' lot.

good god - there ACTUALLY IS rental regulation in the UK. Many on MN will never cope.

Jeremysfavouriteaunt · 06/04/2016 18:05

As wonky says, there is a difference between HMO and large HMO, although, confusingly, some areas treat any group of three unrelated people in the same way as a large HMO (depends on the council).

Jeremysfavouriteaunt · 06/04/2016 18:07

So, in some areas fewer than five people won't need a licence etc, the local council should have it on their website.

whois · 06/04/2016 18:20

Are you really pissy that they'll be paying the same coin it tax as you? You could always take in lodgers of cash is an issue.

specialsubject · 06/04/2016 18:33

three is an HMO (England/Wales) and needs a licence.

www.gov.uk/private-renting/houses-in-multiple-occupation

Jeremysfavouriteaunt · 06/04/2016 18:35

No, I think that is not correct, unless it's changed since I had one very recently.

Contact your local council to report hazards in your HMO. The council is responsible for enforcing HMO standards and can make a landlord take action to correct any problems.

Reclaim rent
All large HMOs need a licence from the local council.

large HMOs need a license, large HMOs are five plus occupants.

Jeremysfavouriteaunt · 06/04/2016 18:37

If you live in a large HMO, your landlord must meet certain standards and obligations. Find out more about HMOs from Shelter

A large HMO has different regs to a normal HMO.

thecatneuterer · 06/04/2016 18:39

HMOs only need a licence if there are three or more storeys and five or more unrelated tenants. It sounds as though this is a standard two storey house so no licence required unless it's in one of the three areas of the country that now require licences for all rented property (Newham, and two others I can't remember).

I am an HMO LL and I would say that on average my houses have less cars per house than the standard family houses around. Generally speaking young people living in HMOs don't have cars, so I can't really see that this would be a particular issue nationwide requiring any action.

Original poster
Cutecat78 · 06/04/2016 18:40

Yes I looked online and a large one has more regs.

Am not sure about the council tax TBF - we have a lot of kids but not all of them live here all the time so we aren't allowed a bigger bin etc whereas next door would be and pay the same seems a little unfair.

OP posts:
lalalonglegs · 06/04/2016 18:45

Start campaigning for residents' parking in your neighbourhood: it is usually limitedt o two permits per property .

Jeremysfavouriteaunt · 06/04/2016 18:51

HMOs have had a massive impact on our neighbour's quality of life, I have been round to apologise and am selling up anyway.

At one point there were six cars there for a five bed house. There are two other HMOs in the road and it's full of cars, I do have a lot of sympathy for families in the situation of the OP.

TopHat33 · 06/04/2016 18:55

The house will be paying the same council tax, split between fewer people if more people live there. So per capita they will pay less and in return have far less space, only a single room to call their own.

do they really all have cars if renting in a houseshare? That surprises me

thecatneuterer · 06/04/2016 18:57

Maybe it's different in London then. Round here, as I said, HMOs have far fewer cars than family houses. I would say that less than one per cent of my tenants have cars. The family across the road from me on the other hand has three cars and a van.

EssentialHummus · 06/04/2016 19:02

Keep in mind that there are regulations even for non-licenceable HMOs - obvious ones are fire doors, smoke and CO2 alarms. So you can report and let the council drop the LL in it.

I have an HMO (of three rooms), and do my best to keep the neighbours onside. I can see it from your POV though, especially re parking.