Agenda item

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Communities, Housing and Infrastructure which sought determination on whether the Council should introduce a Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Overprovision Policy in the City.

The report recommended:-

That the Committee –

(a)       note the information on the number and capacity of licensed HMOs in all 13 wards and the 37 neighbourhoods;

(b)       note the general and limited assessment of the need for housing accommodation in the locality and the extent to which HMO accommodation is required to meet that need as is required to be undertaken in forming an HMO overprovision policy;

(c)        does not progress a policy on HMO overprovision at this time; and

(d)       note that the Council’s HMO online register is being enhanced to make it easier to access information about HMO licences and application.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to note the high concentration of HMOs within the Froghall, Powis and Sunnybank and Old Aberdeen neighbourhoods;

(ii)        to note the information provided towards meeting the requirement to complete assessment of the need for housing accommodation and the extent to which HMO accommodation is required to meet that in the city and including the Froghall, Powis, Garthdee, Sunnybank and Old Aberdeen neighbourhoods;

(iii)       to instruct officers to consult on the draft HMO overprovision policy at appendix 13, this policy would apply in Froghall, Powis, Garthdee, Sunnybank and Old Aberdeen neighbourhoods.  The overprovision threshold applies if there is a concentration of HMOs in any one particular Census Output Area within the Froghall, Powis, Garthdee, Sunnybank and Old Aberdeen neighbourhoods in excess of 10% of qualifying residential properties in that neighbourhood; and

(iv)       to instruct officers to report back to Council in June 2017.