Coventry Council has launched a consultation into plans for a huge new scheme that will prevent properties being converted into HMOs without full planning permission.
It wants to place Article 4 restrictions on 11 out of 18 wards within the city including Foleshill, Radford, Sherborne, St Michael's, Earlsdon, Lower and Upper Stoke, Cheylesmore, Wainbody, Westwood and Woberley, wards that already have the highest concentration of HMOs.
The plans '� which were first announced earlier this year - aim to prevent, 'any unnecessary and avoidable displacement of families searching for properties and provides opportunities for those looking to get onto the property ladder by limiting the number of HMOs in certain wards and ensuring that they are not located so closely together'�.
Cabinet member for housing and communities, councillor David Welsh (pictured), says it wants to control the development of HMOs across Coventry especially where there are already high concentrations of shared housing.
He adds: 'HMOS do serve a purpose, but we also need good quality affordable homes for families. We believe this will help improve neighbourhoods.'�
The consultation ends on 15th November, with implementation most likely next year. Find out how to participate here.
The move follows the council's decision to introduce civil penalty fines of up to �30,000 for landlords flouting licensing conditions, including a failure to comply with over-crowding and improvement notices as well as failure to licence an HMO.
Coventry already has an additional licensing scheme for smaller HMOs and set up a free, voluntary accreditation scheme in a bid to raise standards in the sector.
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