Chapelfields residents fear neighbourhood could turn into a ‘no-go area’ for families

'People no longer know their neighbours'



Residents of a Coventry neighbourhood say a "proliferation" in houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) has turned their neighbourhood into a "no go area" for families.

Members of Chapelfields Residents’ and Traders’ Association (CARTA) say the large number of HMOs has "changed the makeup" of their area.

The residents' group say Coventry City Council need to take tough enforcement action on unlicensed HMOs and restrict the numbers allowed in the area.

Graham Paine, chairman of CARTA and resident of the area for for 44 years, told CoventryLive: “More and more of the properties are becoming converted into flats, apartments and sometimes it’s done shoddily as a way of making as much money for the developer and landlord as possible."

Residents say the high concentration of HMOs on Craven Street, Duke Street, Lord Street, Mount Street, Sir Thomas Whites Road (STW) and single sides of Allesley Old Road and Hearsall Lane and Queensland Avenue has made the area less desirable.

This area was given conservation area status in 1976 because a number of the larger houses were built in the mid to late 1800s to support the watchmaking industry.

Residents claim a number of properties, which are being advertised with rooms for rent, do not have HMO licenses or open applications.

They say the number of short-term occupancies means that "people no longer know their neighbours".

Mr Paine went on: “I love the area, I love the proximity to the city centre, I love that there are pubs nearby. I have no objection to the night time economy, but what's happening is causing major distress for residents and traders.

"[It is a] no go area for families.

"Sometimes these rentals are for weeks.

“They don’t feel any pride in the area - it's just a temporary place for them to live for a few weeks.

“We no longer have many families living here. It's very noticeable there's few young children here."

Residents are urging the city council to take action: "We need Article 4 to come in for Coventry City Council to stop this proliferation of HMOs," Mr Paine said.

An Article 4 direction removes permitted development rights.

Currently in Coventry you can convert a house into a HMO comprising of six or fewer people without planning permission, with permission only needed for seven or more.

An Article 4 direction could require permission for all.

Mr Paine added: “We want to stop any more of these HMO licenses, we do not want to see any more awarded, we want to see policing of those ones acting in breach of the law.

"We want enforcement action from the council.”

Council makes major move to clamp down on 'shoddy' Coventry HMOs



Coventry City Council's housing boss has revealed he will bring in tough measures to take control of the city’s housing stock.

The move would introduce an Article 4 direction, which would limit the number of properties which can be converted into shared homes in areas which already have high levels of houses of multiple occupation (HMO).

Coventry residents have long called for action to tackle "shoddy" HMOs which they say has an impact on the "community feel" of neighbourhoods.

Currently in Coventry you can convert a house into a HMO for six people or fewer without planning permission, with permission only needed for seven or more.

An Article 4 direction would require permission for all, and this could come into action in Coventry by next year.

Speaking exclusively to CoventryLive, Cllr David Welsh, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: "One of the things I am very aware of is that we have areas in the city with high concentrations of HMOs.

"We are going to do something about that, as a local authority we are on the side of residents, that is why I have brought up proposals for an Article 4 direction to limit the number of HMOs."

Cllr Welsh had hinted to CoventryLive last August that we could expect to see the introduction of tougher measures.

Currently, Coventry has an additional licensing scheme that is meant to manage HMOs.

But residents have long said this does not go far enough, citing concerns of rubbish, anti-social behaviour, transient neighbours and safety.

Cllr Welsh told CoventryLive he plans to bring in an Article 4 direction and additional enforcement to go alongside the council's additional licensing rules.

"There is not one approach that solves the problem, we have to work in the guidelines of what the Government do, in other cities some have implemented an Article 4 direction, some have done selective licensing, some like Coventry have done additional licensing, the purpose of that is to regulate small houses of multiple occupation.

"So that brings an awful lot of houses that people see in the city within scope for some kind of regulation."

Cllr Welsh could not be drawn on what areas in Coventry will see the new regulations, but said "we are going through detailed work now as to the areas of the city we will cover."

"What it is about is making sure that we meet the housing need in the city, there is a need for HMOs, but not just for students, but young professionals" he said..

"[There are] many groups that will need different kinds of accommodation, but we do need families as well, one thing we are focusing on is meeting the housing need, that is my main priority, for housing.

Does he expect push-back from landlord? "The scheme will go as far as it can go in the regulation that exists, it has to be a scheme that can be challenged by landlords association, it will cause controversy with the landlords association but they have to understand our communities and areas around the city need to be safe to live in."

A public consultation is being planned for July 2022, with a view to green-light and implement the Article 4 regulation by July 2023.

All talk, no action!