Oct

Cardiff to vote through extension to large student area HMO licensing scheme

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Cardiff city council is seeking to renew an Additional HMO licensing scheme for a student neighbourhood within its city centre for a further five years since first introducing it in 2010.

The Cathays Additional Licensing Scheme which includes some 1,000 properties was last renewed in 2016 and is now expected to be voted through for a further five years on Thursday by the council’s main cabinet, to recommence in February next year.

Cathays (main picture) is notorious within the city as a hotspot for student accommodation and contains a significant majority of its HMO properties as well as a population of some 13,000 students.

As is often the case with such renewals, Cardiff city counsillors are claiming that a renewal is needed to deal with issues such as community safety, anti-social behaviour, sustainability, energy efficiency and waste management in an “area with a high density of rental properties”.

But at the same time its renewal announcement, which follows a consultation (see below) with stakeholders including the city’s landlords, promotes the success of the previous scheme.

Higher risk

Since its introduction, the Cathays scheme has secured both the licensing of 1,779 properties, a reduction in the number of higher risk category hazards when a property is inspected from 26% to 8%, and an increase to 46% in the proportion of licensed HMO properties which are up to standard.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne (pictured), says: “Back in 2010 when the first Additional Licensing Scheme was declared in Cathays, the area presented the highest rate of complaints to the Council’s Housing Enforcement section regarding housing standards.

“The area has a large student population with high demand for rented accommodation but sadly, some landlords and agents advertise and let poor quality properties.

“On the whole since the scheme has been running, complaints have declined and standards have improved as housing enforcement officers are able to take action against landlords whose properties pose a health and safety risk to their tenants with fire safety, warmth and security issues.

“However, we know that even when properties have passed an inspection and become licensed, standards can deteriorate over time and within the private rented market in the area, there remains widespread non-conformity with statutory requirements.

“Redesignating Cathays as an Additional Licensing Scheme area will allow officers to continue to build on the excellent progress made over the past 12 years for the benefit of tenants, landlords and the wider community too.”

Under the previous scheme a landlord paid up to £600 to licence their property depending on the size of the property, but this is due to rise to £960.

Read the consultation document that the council will be voting on.

Pic credit: Jeremy Segrott.

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