Bournemouth landlords object extra licensing deal

3:00pm Thursday 16th August 2012 in Latest By Katie Clark

OBJECTIONS: Steve Bartlett , of the National Landlords Association OBJECTIONS: Steve Bartlett , of the National Landlords Association

BOURNEMOUTH landlords have objected to the principle of extra licensing to deal with the problem of “studentification” in Bournemouth.

A meeting held on Monday at the town hall saw 21 landlords from the area discuss Bournemouth council’s ongoing consultation on improving the condition and management of HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation).

The consultation has come about following complaints by residents that the influx of students has changed the character of the area and led to an increase in unsightly properties, noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour.

Complaints over noise have been highest in Winton, Wallisdown and Queen’s Park with residents living in Winton East making the most complaints about poor living conditions.

Steve Bartlett, NLA representative for Bournemouth, pictured, said: “Many of the landlords objected to the proposal of additional licensing as they feel that licensing landlords is not a reasonable or effective solution to the problem of anti-social behaviour in the area.

“The landlords suggested landlord accreditation as an alternative to licensing.

“Accrediting the good landlords means that the council could concentrate their resources on targeting the criminal operators.

“However, the council remains concerned that accreditation will not solve the problem of criminal landlords.

“The NLA is concerned that licensing will merely serve to capture the professional landlords, leaving criminal landlords to continue to operate under the radar.”

Nicky Thomas, private sector housing manager, said: “The council is currently carrying out an extensive public consultation exercise on the options available to improve the condition and management of HMOs in the Winton area.

“The meeting was an opportunity for local landlords to be fully involved in the consultation.

“The response to this consultation, along with all the feedback received through the wider online public consultation which looks at Landlord Accreditation and Additional Licensing of HMOs, will be considered when the council decides which option to take to ensure HMOs are well maintained and properly managed.”

The consultation will take place until October 7.

Comments(12)

HRH of Boscombe says...
3:23pm Thu 16 Aug 12

'studentification'??
?????
.
Really who's paid to come up with this cr@p??
.
Students and tourism are Bmth's industry. Get over it or campaign for some nice factories along the sea front.
.
Would you complain about miners taking up housing in a coal mining town??
.
Clear out the scum of the earth parasites from the Cresent/Walpole Park and put the extra students there.

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HRH of Boscombe says...
3:36pm Thu 16 Aug 12

'studentification'??
?????
.
Really who's paid to come up with this cr@p??
.
Students and tourism are Bmth's industry. Get over it or campaign for some nice factories along the sea front.
.
Would you complain about miners taking up housing in a coal mining town??
.
Clear out the scum of the earth parasites from the Cresent/Walpole Park and put the extra students there.

Report this post »

O'Reilly says...
4:05pm Thu 16 Aug 12

HRH of Boscombe wrote:
'studentification'??

?????
.
Really who's paid to come up with this cr@p??
.
Students and tourism are Bmth's industry. Get over it or campaign for some nice factories along the sea front.
.
Would you complain about miners taking up housing in a coal mining town??
.
Clear out the scum of the earth parasites from the Cresent/Walpole Park and put the extra students there.
There is a very nice Welsh Miners Convalescent home by Bournemouth Pier.....Yaki da.

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chrspeters says...
5:16pm Thu 16 Aug 12

I also feel so disparaged by this 'studentification' within Bournemouth and surrounding areas. I lived most of my life in private accommodation in all sorts of dives throughout Bournemouth, Parkstone and Poole. Many so imaginable to recall today and all at high rents. I lived and was schooled in Bournemouth from junior age. Joined the Military and went on active service in Aden. Came home and put my name on the housing list.

I got nothing until at my now age of over sixty, that I was allowed finally to have a council Sheltered Home.

I was at my doctors last week and two young foreign girls were trying to sign on to the surgery. They had just arrived. I heard them give their address as ‘Dorchester House’. That is a new building complex just been completed opposite Bournemouth’s Travel Exchange. Prior to that, another such new student site was built on Lansdowne Road, near Madeira Road Police station, full of all amenities including a Supermarket below. Now, even more such buildings are being planned.

All very nice for foreign students coming in but what I ask is there for local people already living here?

Nothing to compare.

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ShuttleX says...
5:41pm Thu 16 Aug 12

As I understand it, the Council has the power to inspect and then issue a "fix it or else" order to the landlords. What I would like to know is just how many "or elses" have actually been applied by the Council? This is all hot air to shut the locals up. The Council has no interest in closing the real pit flats down, or even bother chasing the bad landlords. It is to much trouble for them, when they have a nice easy target in decent landlords to go after for their money. If the Council was actually to grow a pair, and shut these places down straight away, then the problem would get better. The Uni wouldn't like that, because that would mean less students coming to Bournemouth. As students are only seen as a source of income to the Uni/Town/Pubs/Clubs/
Landlords, none of them want that to change. The fact that some students live in squaller is besides the point. The fault for this lays squarely at the Councils door. They are the ones who have, for many a year, turned a Nelson eye to what was happening, but as most Councillors are in business, it was obvious whos side they were on.Students are a right pain, and I for one would be happy if the Uni shut down and they all went away. BUT, in this case, it is not them at fault, but the Council and the Landlords. A friend of mine lives in Southbourne, not far from Tuckton, and his block of 8 flats have not seen a lick of paint in at least 12 years. His communual hallway gets cleaned once every couple of years. The outside of the building has cracks all over it and looks like it is ready to fall down.His landlords are there every month for their rent though. His landlords are part of the same NLA Mr Bartlett seems to be so happy about. These are the sort of landlords the Council should go after, but they won't. If the Council is serious about making things better, then get out the big stick, AND USE IT!!! Stop just waffling to the Echo and coming up with even more ways of putting money in your coffers. We don't need more paperwork and redtape, we need action.

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addntox says...
6:52pm Thu 16 Aug 12

of course they are going to object- it will cost them money- for once the council should grow a pair and push it through- but of course they will give up- how many councillors are landlords as well?

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aerolover says...
7:06pm Thu 16 Aug 12

Perhaps some of these landlords should try living in a road that has been taken over by Uni students and then try going to work at 6am with no sleep. I hope the council does grow a pair and charge the landlords and does follow up on complaints from anyone who lives near or rents a room..

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TheDistrict says...
8:20pm Thu 16 Aug 12

This has been a contention of gloom and doom for a number of years, and has increased in more student promlems than ever before. There are a good number of good landlords and we recognise that, but at the same time there is a large number of cowboy landlords who are only in it for the rent, and have no concerns on the properties they own. It is time the council and university made moves against these people in ensuring that they abide by the laws of a landlord and those of an HMO. If this includes the licencing and further licencing of all landlords then so be it. If you are a good landlord, then you have nothing to hide.

Residents of Winton East, Wallisdown and Winton West, Charminster and Queens Park have had enough of sleepless nights, noisy students, lengthy parties and much more.

Perhaps we as residents should find out where these landlords live, and hold a late night street party in their roads.

Council and Councillors, get off your buts and do the right thing. LICENCE THE LANDLORDS, ALL OF THEM.

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muscliffman says...
9:44pm Thu 16 Aug 12

If we do not deal with this latest HMO problem properly we will regret it.
Boscombe as it is today is exactly where some of these suburbs are going.
Just take a good look at them, it has started all over again - it is staring us in the face.
It is widely acknowledged that unrestrained (indeed perhaps encouraged) HMO development, regardless of original resident profile, in Boscombe twenty plus years ago began the rot there.
History is repeating and unfortunately that includes the unhealthy but robust influenece of vested interests - some familiar.
Please will the last family in Winton shut the door when they leave - the house is being converted into an HMO.

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Ziggy starburst says...
8:43am Fri 17 Aug 12

muscliffman wrote:
If we do not deal with this latest HMO problem properly we will regret it.
Boscombe as it is today is exactly where some of these suburbs are going.
Just take a good look at them, it has started all over again - it is staring us in the face.
It is widely acknowledged that unrestrained (indeed perhaps encouraged) HMO development, regardless of original resident profile, in Boscombe twenty plus years ago began the rot there.
History is repeating and unfortunately that includes the unhealthy but robust influenece of vested interests - some familiar.
Please will the last family in Winton shut the door when they leave - the house is being converted into an HMO.
Spot on. A lot of people just say its a student town deal with it. But whole areas are being dragged down. The landlords like to portray the students as having a BBQ on a summers evening with a bit of music and having a bit of fun. I've lived next door to a place where it's all night. Get up for work as they are heading off to bed for the day and riding my bike through broken glass etc. Sure, Bournemouth need students, but not at the cost of everyone who pay council tax who have jobs to go to and can't just decide theyre not going in if they don't feel like it.

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born2bongo says...
1:20pm Fri 17 Aug 12

I can't see how licencing landlords will change anything. My own street was in an improving area until the university grew and student residences spread into it. This last year has been the worst. We had cars abandoned in the street from October. After 8 weeks of the regulars trying to find parking we tracked the owners down to a house of students living in the next street. They were 'persuaded' to move them and advised to catch the train if they didn't need them in term time. After that we just had to put up with the few warm sunny days being destroyed by loud music, and the inevitable 2am drunks every weekend. Miserable though it has been, I fail to see what a landlord could do about it.
As usual in this country, poor upbringing is the root of the problem. Since we can't influence that, the university should be more of a good corporate citizen and recognise that individual students are bringing its name into disrepute.
For our own street, it is over half a mile from the university so let's hope increased tuition fees reduce the number of students, and the pool of student accommodation shrinks back to the closer streets

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jinglebell says...
1:55pm Fri 17 Aug 12

Perhaps its time to use new media and in particular Youtube to film and make public what these situations are like. Two things could be filmed:
1. What these HMO's are like, preferably inside and out - although many residents in Boscombe's HMO's might take part, others are too fearful of their landlords.
2. Students making lots of noise, late at night or mess or whatever antisocial things they are doing - every time it happens
Posting films like this on Youtube brings it to a wide audience...and film updates keeps more people viewing it...and so if the Uni and the Council want good press they will have it when either very little is posted or none.
People complaining about the occasional party will be seen as the party spoilers they are....and those that are posting on a daily or weekly basis as having a horrible problem. It really is hell trying to go to work after constantly getting no sleep....just think what it was like when your children were babies.

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