Some Southampton landlords are proud of their appalling HMOs, according to a city councillor and former Lord Mayor who reckons they think they can get away with neglecting repairs.
Bevois ward councillor Jacqui Rayment urged a recent meeting of the city; housing scrutiny panel to carry out a long-overdue stock condition survey of private rental homes.
The city-wide assessment is seen as a key action following a scrutiny inquiry into the sector more than 18 months ago, reports the Southern Daily Echo. Councillors heard that a funding issue had been addressed but there was no schedule for when the work would take place.
A senior officer told the meeting that data from a survey would help drive other policy recommendations from the scrutiny inquiry; Southampton could only get permission to introduce selective licensing following a stock condition survey.
“The important thing is that we do it, but more importantly, that we start the process and finish it,” said Rayment. “I say that as someone that represents a ward with the second highest number of HMOs in the whole city. They are in an appalling state, and you talk to the landlords and some of them are almost proud of that fact because they think they can get away with it.”
Panel chair Dave Shields said he shared his Labour colleague’s frustration as he had held cabinet responsibility for housing ten years ago when he hoped to do the survey but it never happened. Cabinet member for housing, councillor Andy Frampton, promised to put together a timetable after a meeting with the director of housing this week.
An additional licensing scheme in parts of the city will come into force on 1st October, replacing a previous scheme that ended last year, covering the Banister & Polygon, Bevois, Bargate, Portswood, Swaythling, Bassett, Shirley, Freemantle & Millbrook wards.
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