On Thursday 31 July, Labour MPs and councillors joined forces to host a community forum to gather views and feedback about Houses of Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Portsmouth.
Between 2018 and 2023, the number of HMOs in Portsmouth rose from an estimated 3,920 to nearly 6,000. While HMOs play a role in addressing housing shortages, poor regulation and oversaturation are placing unacceptable pressures on our local infrastructure and harming the character of our neighbourhoods.
Both Amanda Martin and Stephen Morgan have taken this issue to Parliament raising it with ministers, pushing for changes in planning and licensing rules, and working with MPs across the country who are seeing similar trends. Cllr Charlotte Gerada, Leader of the Labour Group on Portsmouth City Council, is contacted about HMO issues more than any other casework.
Stephen Morgan MP said “At our recent Housing Fayre, Portsmouth people told us they wanted an event on HMOs in particular, to meet like-minded people, share expertise and help us push for better housing across Portsmouth. With housing demand high so high in our city, squeezing more people into converted homes is not a long-term solution. People deserve safe, secure housing that suits their needs and strengthens our communities.”
Amanda Martin MP said: “Since being elected, I’ve heard from countless constituents who are deeply worried about the changing face of their neighbourhoods. HMOs are not inherently bad but when they’re unregulated, planning enforcement is ignored, or left to create over-concentrated areas, they can lead to real problems.
Stephen. Charlotte and I are united in our call for tighter local controls and stronger national guidance. We want to hear your ideas and concerns and use this forum to bring local campaigners together as a platform for change.”
The event was well attended with nearly 100 local residents. It was helpful to hear directly from people about the growing impact of HMOs across our city and agree next steps together to ensure more is done to address this issue.
