Council leader says HMOs 'change the character of neighbourhoods'

The comments have been made ahead of a vote by Warrington councillors who are to consider a crackdown on the spread of HMOs in the town.

Warrington has hundreds of licensed HMOs, with clusters in areas such as Fairfield and Howley, Bewsey and Whitecross, Orford, and Birchwood, but the council now wants to agree a policy that controls their growth, while continuing to support the provision of good-quality, affordable accommodation.

It says: “The options available will be reviewed by the housing policy committee in the near future, ensuring that any measures introduced are proportionate, evidence-based, and help to maintain sustainable, balanced communities.”

There are already three small Article 4 areas in Warrington that remove permitted development rights for changes of use from dwellings to HMOs, at Works (Campbells), Liverpool Road; Cherry Lane, Lymm; and Old Smithy, Gig Lane, Thelwall.

Complaints

The authority explains that while shared homes are an increasingly popular form of rental property for landlords, formal complaints about HMOs in Warrington often relate to issues such as upkeep, waste, parking, and anti-social behaviour - although licensing focuses on safety and property standards rather than restricting their number.

Council leader Hans Mundry (main image) adds that while HMOs have an important part to play in ensuring affordable housing for local residents, high concentrations can sometimes run the risk of negatively impacting communities, leading to anti-social behaviour, noise, parking issues, and changes to neighbourhood character.

“There is a balance that needs to be struck, and I think that developing a policy that introduces sensible parameters around HMOs is something the council should be pursuing,” says Mundry.

A Warrington Council spokesman tells LandlordZONE: “We are currently reviewing the full range of options at our disposal, with a view to making recommendations to the Housing Policy Committee. The review will include Article 4 Directions and additional licensing arrangements. The decision will be evidenced based and subject to consultation”.   

The town currently contains some 230 HMOs, its register of properties reveals.