In advance of a report on the review of Dundee’s HMO policy going before councillors on the City Council Licensing Committee tomorrow (the report can be read here), yesterday I met with the Director of Housing and the council’s Principal Housing Officer of its Private Sector Services Unit to discuss issues around the report and its findings.
Apart from a welcome proposal for site visits by Licensing Committee members before contentious applications are determined, the report envisages little change and I have made the point to the Director of Housing that, as the last public consultation on HMO policy was now some eight years ago, a new consultation process to get the public’s views is vital.
I have also asked questions about the areas where HMO numbers exceed the 12.5% limit and have also questioned the rationale for the limit being 12.5% in the first place.
Additionally, whilst welcoming site visits for contentious applications, there is merit in also considering site visits to the areas where levels are exceeded, some very significantly.
Crucially, however, a new period of public consultation on HMO policy which is now eight years old is clearly necessary.