HMO Restrictions Hurting Young People Seeking Homes

The British Property Federation has criticised government policy on homes for young people as being ‘wholly contradictory’. The organisation, which represents the interests of property owners and developers, has highlighted a serious potential shortfall in the availability of shared accommodation once proposed housing benefit cuts take effect. Under the reforms up to 88,000 people aged 25-34 could see their benefits reduced from a rate designed to cover a one-bed flat to one sufficient only for a room in a shared property. Yet research carried out by the Residential Landlords’ Association (RLA) shows an increasing number of councils using Article 4 directions to place restrictions on houses of multiple occupancy (HMO), at a time when they are likely to be in far greater demand. BPF policy director Ian Fletcher asserted that authorities needed to ensure they were working to the needs of their residents. Read more on the BPF website.