Private landlords will be put under the spotlight in a landmark review of Dundee’s lettings market, The Courier can reveal.
City council members will look into the number and location of HMOs (houses in multiple occupancy) and could launch a crackdown on owners who lease to nightmare tenants.
Lochee councillor and member of the licensing committee Tom Ferguson said: “We need the cobwebs to be blown out of the system, because there is a slight craziness to it at the moment.
“Things as they are have gone on too long and it’s time to pull them up by the bootstraps.”
And he warned “wealthy landlords” that the council’s priority would be in protecting homeowners and not in providing “an investment”.
Dundee residents, particularly in the West End, have complained about what they see as the over-provision of HMOs in their area.
Mary McKenzie has lodged several objections to new HMO licences and renewals in the Perth Road area of the city.
She said: “It’s time the council considered council tax payers. Around here it’s like living in a hall of residence, I’m surrounded by 18 students.
“We definitely should not be awarding any more rents to students. The West End is disintegrating, and the students can live elsewhere.”
Housing in Ms McKenzie’s area is actually significantly below the council’s 12.5% cap on multiple occupancy housing.
Kenneth Glass, a licensing solicitor, said: “Obviously there seems to be an element of conflict, particularly in the West End around supposed tenant behaviour.
“I don’t see how changing the licensing system would change the behaviour of students.
“We have two universities in Dundee, we’re proud of our universities, but you can’t have the institutions without the students.
“Because of the placing of the universities, most students don’t have cars and will want to live within walking distance of the campus.
“The West End has always been a student area, and I don’t think Dundee is unique as a city in having so many students.
“Overall I think the system for HMOs seems to be working, and I don’t want to see it overly tinkered with. It’s a robust system, more than most it’s difficult to see what any proposed shake up could achieve.
“Of course there are always people who feel their own needs aren’t being met.”
Mr Ferguson outlined in more detail what he would be pushing for during the review in February into the council’s treatment of HMOs.
He said: “We hope to ask for the same kind of visitation rights we have on the local review body, to be able to see these properties would make it much easier for us on the committee to make decisive clear decisions.
“We at the council are in the business of providing good housing, not providing an investment for wealthy landlords.
“Of course we welcome students, and they have to live somewhere. What we’re seeking is a review and a consultation of the methods used by the council.”
Mr Ferguson also pointed out at the meeting of the city’s licensing committee that the council in many ways had more power to deal with unruly residents of HMO properties than private lets.
The review is set to take place in February of next year. The council has promised to include residents, student groups, landlords and solicitors in discussions.