Public consultations could take place across Dundee as the council attempts to defuse its rental market standoff with homeowners.
Councillors will push officials to arrange meetings to quell growing anger over let properties, particularly those occupied by students.
Areas such as the West End have particularly high concentrations of students, given their proximity to the city’s two universities.
That has seen the council, landlords and students in conflict with some homeowners, who believe their communities are being blighted by noise and other anti-social behaviour.
In a number of streets, the number of houses in multiple occupation represents overprovision, according to the council’s own policy.
The city council’s licensing board yesterday backed its policy on HMOs, claiming it has helped to better regulate the market.
Members accepted that more must be done to liaise with homeowners to help them better understand the issues and ensure greater harmony between owners, landlord, students and other renters.
To that end, a number of meetings are likely to be organised months, beginning with a number in the West End.
Council officials have been asked to consider a programme of consultations and information events.
Despite that concession, councillors once again sprang to the defence of the city’s student population, stressing that the vast majority are well behaved.
Committee convener Stewart Hunter suggested that students and landlords were being unfairly demonised.
“What we all want to see is HMOs that are good for students but that are also good for the communities that live near them and we have to get that balance right,” he said.
“The vast majority of students cause no trouble whatsoever and the vast majority of HMOs are well run.
Councillor John Alexander said he understood the issues in play, as both a student and a resident of the West End.
“We must not chastise all HMOs and students as troublemakers as that is far from the truth,” he added. “The vast majority are well managed and well behaved.”