A battle between residents and HMO landlords is coming to a head in Liverpool where vacating students’ mess is being dumped on city streets.

Angry neighbours have woken up to huge amounts of rubbish outside shared homes as students pack up and leave their properties for the summer, reports The Liverpool Echo, particularly in the student hotspot of Wavertree.

One resident in Wellington Avenue reported rubbish spilling out onto the road along with household goods scattered around the local area, including duvets, clothes and kitchen items.

The council insists the situation has improved and that it has had fewer complaints from residents. Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods, says it works with universities and sends letters to houses about the issue, but adds: “Unfortunately on June 30th there is always a pinch point because this is when all the landlords end the contracts for the student houses, and they make them empty the houses or face losing their deposits. It is a fundamentally wasteful way of doing things.”

Students

Liverpool’s relatively cheap housing and expanding student population have led to a boom in HMOs and the introduction of an Article 4 direction in 2021 in response.  

Earlier this year, council leader Liam Robinson said he sympathised with residents in the Kensington area who complained of suffering from anti-social behaviour and litter and of being pushed out by HMO landlords. He criticised some landlords’ disregard for property quality and tenant welfare, who focused solely on profit.

Robinson said: “They’re not bothered about how they look after the tenants or the residents, all they’re bothered about is making huge amounts of money out of what were traditionally three-four-bedroom terrace houses.”

Main image credit: Penny Lane Wombles‍