We urgently need a statutory, national framework for the regulation of HMOs

Across cities and towns like Ashfield, much loved neighbourhoods are being made into dirty and dangerous streets. Pubs, care homes and family homes are being bought up at low prices, made into houses in multiple occupation and filled with nuisance tenants. In many cases, six or more unrelated people are living under a single roof, often in a converted terraced house. This does not just result in overcrowding; issues spill out onto the streets and create chaos.

Antisocial behaviour, neglect of shared spaces, bins overflowing and late-night noise become commonplace, and residents who have lived in these areas for decades are forced to move away. Those who cannot afford it have no choice but to stay and endure the disruption, all while local politicians, the police and councillors scratch their head, asking why crime and disorder is on the up in the area.

That is why I decided to hold my own debate on HMOs – the problem is only getting worse, and it is residents who are expected to put up with it.

We know that HMOs are not the problem. Local housing supply is needed, and HMOs can play an important role in filling that gap. When properly managed, HMOs provide stability and affordable housing for single professionals and key workers. I have met with an agency in Ashfield who are taking their role in this seriously and providing housing to responsible tenants. However, too often there is next to no oversight or accountability for investors and landlords. Why? The truth is profit is placed over local people and there is a complete absence of appropriate planning and licensing in the process.

As new agents undercut at half the going rate, corners get cut on tenant selection. Locals are ignored and communities are given no say as their neighbourhoods are changed for the worse by landlords who just want to make money.

This lack of planning is only further compounded by the Government’s handling of illegal migrants. Ministers have relied heavily on private contractors for years to house illegal migrants, first in hotels and now in residential areas. Successive governments have allowed Serco to hoover up HMOs on seven-year deals and fill them full of illegal migrants, which means it is now even more difficult for British people to find accommodation. This has also led to a huge increase in rents in places like Ashfield at a time when people are desperate to secure affordable housing. Prices are going up and availability is going down.

To make matters even worse, unvetted young men – many of fighting-age from backwards cultures – are making their way into our communities, still at the taxpayer’s expense, simply so Labour ministers can claim they are taking steps to tackle illegal migration. But I am not buying it, and neither are the many women and girls in Ashfield and across the country who are too scared to walk the streets in their own hometowns. In 21st century Britain, young girls are having to change their route to school to stay safe. Let that sink in.

It is clear we need a statutory, national framework for the regulation of HMOs. Investors, landlords and managers must meet clear standards through training, accreditation and real consequences for failures to comply. If you profit from housing tenants in HMOs, you should be accountable for how the property is run and the impact it has on its neighbours.

Local authorities also need the power to enforce caps on HMOs, and we need vigorous background checks on all tenants. We need a separate licensing agreement for agents housing higher-risk people, including ex-offenders and those with severe mental health issues, and licensed HMO managers urgently need access to proper safeguarding tools. These should be basic, common-sense requirements and the fact they aren’t in place already shows a real failure in the system.

My final ask of the Minister was simple: stop placing illegal migrants in HMOs. Do not embed these people even deeper into our communities. Detain and deport.

We have a responsibility as legislators to ensure our housing system does not compromise the safety and security of local people. It’s about time we had a government that took this seriously.