Tackling the impact of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

Many residents across the county will already be aware that we have been working for some time to find effective ways to address the growing problems associated with Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and the devastating impact they can have in our communities if they’re not properly regulated or kept under control. However, the problem has been largely ignored by the coalition currently in control of Durham County Council and is now in danger of coming to a tipping-point in many of our towns and villages.

By way of background, converting a residential property into an HMO is an initiative used by property owners and some private sector landlords to create additional rental income in one individual home by modifying living space to increase the number of tenancies. However, some of the more unscrupulous landlords have taken the opportunity to maximise their rental income by squeezing more individual tenancies into one property and then calling it an HMO. 

This isn’t anything new. It’s been around for several years but it’s recently come to the fore in some of our communities, and that would explain the increasing number of pressure groups emerging across the county over the past few months - most of them pressing for the same outcome but with some of the more opportunistic ones using it as a device to create division in our communities. 

The practice of converting residential properties into HMOs has picked up pace lately in some of our former industrial communities like those along the East Durham coast where some private sector landlords and their agents are exploiting this opportunity to increase their rental income. This leads to disruption in our otherwise settled communities, especially where there is evidence of an increasing number of HMOs in just one or two streets. To make matters worse once a residential property has been converted into an HMO it is highly unlikely that it would ever be returned to its original purpose, thereby gradually depriving our communities of a much needed rented-sector housing supply.

The impact of HMOs on our communities has been a long time coming. Anyone monitoring changes in the local housing market over the past few years, particularly in the private-rented sector, would have picked up on the opportunity perceived by some landlords to change direction and maximise profit by letting their properties to more tenants than they were ever intended for. 

This was in part the reason why Labour members in county hall introduced a Selective Licensing Scheme (SLS) a few years ago. The primary intention of the SLS was to bring some much-needed regulation to the private-rented sector, but it also gave the council a framework to build up an evidence base and provide a template for dealing with any potential housing issues in the future - such as the proliferation of HMOs in our East Durham communities and others across the county.  

However, apart from deploying the opportunity to further regulate the private-rented sector using the evidence gathered through the SLS, the only way the council can make real progress in tackling local concerns about HMOs is by engaging directly with residents and their communities and then developing policy and modifying the regulatory powers it has to deal with any emerging issues. 

Understandably our residents want to hear about solutions to their problems, but instead of listening to communities the Tory-Reform/Lib Dem/Independent coalition in control of the council has slammed the door in their faces every time. If they want to be seen doing something about this problem the coalition must start listening to residents and then act decisively to seek solutions and address local concerns.

Whether they do that by adopting restrictive planning policies that help to remove permitted development rights on HMOs, or whether they properly engage with residents as part of the forthcoming County Durham Plan review, it's vital that the coalition demonstrates its understanding of local concerns - and then holds out the prospect of hope and real progress by further regulating the private-rented sector and bringing some much needed stability to our communities.

Remembrance Sunday in Blackhall Colliery

As ever there was a magnificent turnout from our residents and local organisations at this year’s Remembrance Sunday commemoration service held at the memorial in Blackhall Colliery Welfare Park.

The service, organised by Monk Hesleden Parish Council and led by council chairman Gaynor Crute and local minister John Kidd, attracted another fantastic attendance from a community committed to paying their respects to those from Blackhall who fought in both World Wars and in other conflicts over the years.

At the commemoration service wreaths were laid at the memorial on behalf of the Royal British Legion, Monk Hesleden Parish Council, Durham County Council, Blackhall Colliery primary school, St Joseph's RC primary school, Wellfield school, Blackhall Labour Party, Blackhall RAFA, Blackhall Women's Institute, St Andrew's church and many other local and regional organisations who make the day so special. There was also an opportunity at the service for individuals to make their own personal representations on behalf of lost loved ones and family members.

As in past years the buffet reception held in Blackhall Cricket Club immediately after the service was again very well attended by residents taking the opportunity to meet up with family members, old friends and visitors to our village.

Stacey and I would like to thank the clerk, members and staff of the parish council for organising the event, the staff and committee of Blackhall Cricket Club who made everyone welcome, Ian Harris for performing the Last Post and Reveille, representatives from the Royal British Legion, Blackhall Women’s Institute, the staff and pupils from Wellfield school, our local primary schools, Brian Drummond who again gave so much of his time and effort in preparing the village ahead of the service and of course the Blackhall community who once again came together to honour those who fought and those who died in the defence of our country and community against fascism, tyranny and oppression.

Vehicle set on fire at East Street as part of Bonfire Night event

I was contacted last night by residents who were angry that once again a vehicle has been set on fire on land at East Street and First Street as part of an unauthorised bonfire night event. This follows a similar incident last year at the same location when an abandoned car was taken to the site and added to the bonfire.

I'd already been in touch with the authorities yesterday morning to alert them to the event and I'd asked them to monitor developments as best they could and manage any risks to health and safety that might occur. This followed concerns raised with me earlier in the day by concerned residents in the village.

I called down to the site early this morning to see for myself the damage left behind after last night's events. I saw a burnt out vehicle abandoned on the green and reported it straight away to the authorities with a request that it is removed as soon as possible and that any debris left behind is cleared.

From the many calls and messages I've received since last night it's clear there is significant anger throughout the village that a relatively small group of people seem quite happy to cause as much damage as they like and ruin the fun for everyone else.

Like a lot of people I think Bonfire Night or Guy Fawkes Night is a great opportunity to get together with friends and family. It's become an established English tradition over the past 400 years and I think it’s important that it should be preserved. However, the security, health and safety of residents must always come first, and none of the residents living in the streets nearby felt particularly safe or secure last night.

No one wants to stamp out what has become a time-honoured tradition, but equally no one wants to see vehicles dragged onto public open spaces and set alight - especially when the fire was so close to residential properties in East Street, First Street and Aspatria Avenue.

I have a scheduled meeting early next week with the community safety team, alongside the police, neighbourhood wardens and other agencies, as part of our regular street walkabouts in and around the villages. When we get together I'll raise with them residents' concerns about the events of last night and I'll ask them to look at ways to prevent a repeat of last night's mayhem. Bearing in mind that the safety of our children and young people is paramount I think all options should be up for consideration. 

If you have any issues you would like me to raise with the community safety team about what happened last night (or anything else for that matter) please contact me at: rob.crute@durham.gov.uk and I'll make sure your ideas and comments are taken into consideration.