Justified Classification or Costly Charade?
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There are still concerns regarding government legislation which became effective from the 6th April 2010.
Any property which is let to 3 or more unrelated sharers will autimatically become classed as ‘2 or more households’. The property, deemed as a HMO will require planning permission. The legislation will have a massive negative impact on both landlords and students.
The change in this new classification (C4 Houses in Multiple Occupation), will only affect residential property in England. It does not effect existing shared tenancy, prior to 06/04/2010, even if the property changes hands of tenants. However, if a shared property is reverted back to a family home, a landlord will require planning permission if he/she lets it as a HMO again.
It’s important for a landlord to remember that if he/she lets a HMO to a single tenant, all rights to letting it again as a HMO in the future will be lost and planning permission will be required again from the local authority concerned. The price of planning permission is approximately £350.
A campaign established through ‘Facebook’ has marked a new medium in which landlords have taken their argument and is supported by the NUS. There are at present 2.5 million students in the UK, who will be mainly affected by this legislation, in which the ramifications for business’ that rely on student communities will no doubt lead to dire consequences.
It still remains unanswered to both landlords and students that in light of the current economic climate, how the government can validate such legislation.
By
Madalena Penny