Councillor says Stormont department 'should be helping to shape communities'
Belfast councillors have voiced their disappointment after a Stormont review concluded it can do nothing to reduce overwhelming numbers of student type HMO houses in areas like the Holylands.
HMO licence renewal cannot be refused on the basis of overprovision of such properties in an area, but new licences can be refused on this basis. “In this review DfC acknowledged the issues around overprovision raised by both councils and landlords, with very differing views on each side. DfC acknowledged that the policy intention of the new licensing regime is to prevent new areas being over-provided in the future.
“This was an opportunity to address that through proactive planning, and insist the system is better than what went before. But sadly, as we see with a lot of government targets, there is a certain passiveness which means the issues just roll on. “Landlords have come to this committee asking for renewal licences when they've failed to follow the legislation and renew on time. They have told us they're selling the properties and it's clear that this isn't about providing housing, rather this is solely about profit.
The review looked at the impact of the regulatory scheme on councils in terms of resources, guidance and legislation, with a view to identifying any changes necessary to ensure the legislation achieves its policy intent.
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