A Dundee cul-de-sac has been named “HMO street” after it emerged every property is a house in multiple occupancy.
City councillors approved an HMO licence for a property in Milnbank Gardens, despite the area being over capacity for HMOs and above the council’s target of 12.5%.
Licensing committee convener Stewart Hunter dubbed the development “HMO street” and echoed comments made in a council report about HMOs released last month.
He said: “Over-provision is something we look at very seriously, but if all properties in the area are HMOs we can accept this has become ‘HMO Street’.”
A report to the committee from the director of housing mentions Milnbank Gardens specifically.
It said: “Typically, the committee has taken into consideration existing levels of HMOs, location and proximity to each other as well as areas of concentration.
“It might be argued that areas such as Brook Close and Brook Gardens, Milnbank Gardens, Daniel Place and Daniel Terrace as well as Springfield and Larch Street create fewer problems and generate fewer complaints as a result of the concentration of HMOs than areas with more widely dispersed HMOs.”
At the meeting of the licensing committee held yesterday the police also revealed they have had no calls to Milnbank Gardens at all, and council housing officers say they have no problems or complaints with any properties on the street.
Councillor Laurie Bidwell at the meeting said: “There is a level of complaint about the idea of HMOs rather than any specific issues, but more of a concept of what might happen were an HMO licence to be granted.”
Mary Mackenzie, a West End resident, said living with HMOs was not as easy as “HMO street” might indicate.
She said: “Students are not the best of neighbours, as anyone being realistic will agree.
“It stands to reason that young people living away from home and the resultant restrictions, especially when a crowd of them are living together, will undoubtedly kick over the traces and behave..like students.
“People living with HMOs have to deal with the resulting problems, which can be antisocial behaviour, untidy properties, bins not put away, rubbish left in the street at end of term the list is long.”
Solicitor Kenneth Glass, with Bailies Law, praised the city’s control of HMO properties.
He said: “The students have to live somewhere, and I know I’d much rather live next to a four-bed HMO property, where I have the right to complain, and to appeal, and have a great contact point with the council, than live next to two two-bed flats that aren’t nearly as closely monitored.”
Councillor Tom Ferguson said residents should be reassured that their objections to HMOs are considered and heard.
He said: “The appeals system is quite new and I don’t know how many residents know it exists or exactly how it works, but we are listening to them and each objection is given proper weight.”