To have handed the new owners the no more HMO letter from the council regarding the street.

[itsmeits]

Thats it basically, new owners of down the road have been at the property this morning with the builder.
They politely introduced themselves, I welcomed them to the street and said look forward to seeing them around.

The Man then told me we won't see them as the house will be a HMO.
I asked do you not know there is an order no more HMOs on the street - did the estate agent not tell you, it's a protected area due to the amount of HMOs in the area. The 10% rule.

They both looked flabbergasted and informed me it would be a HMO.
Said I would be back in a minute, toddled back to mine printed the email (took out personal info) and handed them the information.
Pissed was not the word. I have been told I am lying and made this up. Advised they speak to councilort confirm the information.

YABU - leave them to - even though there is an order saying no more on the street.
YANBU - this information should be on the house listing when selling so potential buyers know.

Probably given someone in the council a back hander!!! It sadly does happen!

I know someone who lives in Durham who has said this is a huge issue in the part of the city she lives. 🙁

Oh don’t be daft

in South Africa possibly

not the uk

You were right to give them the email. They can check out whether it applies to their plans.

um.. I worked for my local council… definitely does happen in the UK.

Remember they can rent to a single family or 2 individuals typically. Most councils define hmo as 3, 4 or even 5 unrelated individuals, my area it’s 4 or more sharers

Not necessarily. Depends on local regulations. For example ALL HMOs in Newham require planning consent.

We weren't even allowed to accept a box of chocolates for Christmas at my Council.
It really doesn't happen - and it certainly wouldn't for an HMO! Major city centre re-development would be the only thing worth risking your career and freedom for!

This.

Leave them to it, but I would definitely be informing the council about their plans!

It doesn’t happen, aside from in the vivid imaginations of some

Your local council in South Africa 10 years ago!

and if in the Uk…. You were aware of this and didn’t whistle blow?

Of course it happens in local councils. Corruption exists

When I sold my house the couple lied and said they were buying it for their daughter. Turned out they were buying it to rent out. I was more angry that they had lied than that they were renting it out, and I needed to sell, but yes they were appealing buyers because I lived the house and wanted it to be a lived home going forwards. Hopefully it is to the renters.

He should be talking to the solicitor so he's not very bright

I hope it works in your favour but I also wonder if the council have a solid rule or if they just told residents something to placate them.

hope you will update us.

🤣🤣 What planet are you from? It happens ALL the time. The two biggest housing developers in our area are best mates with half the council. Same council members promised no more building on green belt land. We now live in a mini metropolis and more land is being dug up as I type. I can see it from my window - where there used to be fields. It’s the world’s worst kept secret that brown envelopes are changing hands regularly. My sister worked in a timber importer’s and the boss’s brother was on the local council. She saw, heard and even typed stuff that was definitely not through the proper channels.

Shame she never whistle blew

Exactly!

on the phone to his estate agent! 😂

My printer is used so rarely that most of the time there isn’t paper in the machine. People have used it for other stuff so you have to find the box with paper in. The wire to plug it in has fallen behind the cabinet and then you find the ink has dried up.

They could sue their solicitor if he knew that they planned an HMO

Not really a solid 'argument' when it's the very reason the council has said 'no more', is it

I don't understand why there's so much prejudice against people living in non family units. Things are really hard for single people without reducing the places they can live even further.

I don’t get the hatred for HMOs on here. Maybe it’s just because this is Mumsnet and there’s a general “families good, young people bad” attitude.

Because instead of a stable community of owners, who have financial and emotional investment in the area, you have a revolving door of short-term renters. Some HMOs are, despite regulations, effectively slum housing. There is then a general increase in density, parking issues, noise, litter etc.

Sounds great!

I really can't understand this thread. I lived in HMO until my mid 30s. Nearly everyone I know lives in a HMO in London. How can anyone who is single live any other way in an expensive City? How is it any different to a house being divided into flats? Or do you all live on streets where everyone owns the whole house and there are no flats either? I don't get it.

Would you be ok living in an area where you are completely surrounded by them? That is exactly what has happened a few miles from me. Long time residents have had to leave the area due to the partying, exploded bags of rubbish, damaged cars as people compete for parking spaces, furniture abandoned in gardens/alleyways, vandalism etc. These are a mixture of students (yeah, our future doctors/engineers/lawyers/accountants) and other young people who have heard about the 24 hour party atmosphere and fancied a slice of it. They wouldn’t behave like that in their family homes. It sounds extreme. It didn’t start out that way. It was a quiet family area in a bustling part of town. Now it’s like the Wild West and regularly features on the local news. If HMO’s had been limited to a certain proportion, this wouldn’t have happened, as the whole culture of the area wouldn’t have altered so drastically. I would never begrudge students their fun and their full immersion in student life, but this situation shows what can happen when HMO’s are allowed to increase unchecked.

Poor you. Our council is really hot on this.