What is an HMO?

An HMO is a House of Multiple Occupancy. Basically, it is a property rented out by at least three people who are not from one 'household' but share facilities like the bathroom and kitchen. 

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Legally, in the UK, specifically in Bridgwater you can have a house which is occupied by 4 or less people who do not know each other, without registering that property as an HMO and seeking an HMO license. 

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5 or more and you need a license. 

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Now, if you have a couple in the house, then you can technically have 5 people in one house without having to get a HMO license or telling the council, as this would only count as 4 separate parties who don't know each other.

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Now, what the conservatives in Bridgwater are on about, specifically MP Ashley Fox, is changing that threshold from 5 or more, down to 2 or more (I believe), meaning many unlicensed HMOs would now need to become licensed and therefore approved by the council. 

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It would certainly reduce the amount of HMOs in the town, but would do so by introducing more red tape around what people can do with their properties freely. 

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Do I support it? Kind of, at this juncture. But like with all new policy that fits a specific need at a specific time, will it be revised again in the future for people to have more control again.

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For now, the community is being undeniably impacted, family homes are being permanently restructured, and this one is tragic - Listed buildings are being stripped out, painted white and irreversibly redesigned for the purpose of housing workers. 

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If we want to talk about detrimental impact to the character of a town, this has to be at the forefront. Look up Ivy House in Bridgwater (video coming soon).

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There's also! Overcrowded street parking, increased noise, and the loss of community, squeezing of services, and a transient nature to HMOs that, at their core are anti-family, anti-homogenous and just inconducive to how our streets were originally designed. 

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More soon...