Agenda item

The Cabinet on 21^st January, 2008 had considered a motion referred from Council concerning houses in multiple occupation (HMOs).  The Cabinet had resolved that costed options for a full house condition survey and an HMO survey should be reported back to this Committee and the Cabinet and Members considered the report.  Members noted that the last full survey of housing conditions in the private sector had been carried out in 1998 and a survey of HMOs in 1997.  Legislation had changed since that time with the Housing Act 2004 introducing the housing fitness standard with the health and housing rating system and also introducing a licensing scheme for HMOs of three or more storeys, with five or more people and an element of sharing facilities.  Since 2002, local authorities had been working to ensure that at least 70% of vulnerable households in the private sector were in decent accommodation by 2010, rising to 75% by 2020.  Currently however, the Council did not have any accurate baseline data to evidence any improvements.

Since the last surveys, both housing legislation and the reporting required had changed significantly and the Council needed to do the surveys in order to demonstrate its commitment to improving housing conditions in the private sector and the way that it set policies and procedures was based on up to date information.  Due to the problems of overcrowded HMOs in Slough, Officers were of the view that it was necessary to carry out a full HMO survey in addition to a housing condition survey.  This would assist in correctly identifying problem areas, understand where resources needed to be targeted and help strengthen the case if opportunities for additional funding became available.

Members were strongly of the view that the Council had a duty to undertake the proposed surveys given that it was aware of a major problem in the town as regards overcrowded HMOs but did not have any accurate baseline data on the issue.  It was also noted that, once the surveys were undertaken, it would then be essential for the Council to address the issues identified. Whilst it was noted that there would be substantial financial implications for the authority, the view was taken that the Council really had no option but to support the proposal.

The Committee agreed to recommend the Cabinet to support the proposed surveys and to request that on their completion, the outcomes would be reported back through the Committee prior to the Council deciding how the matter would be taken forward.

Resolved -   That the Committee unanimously supports the undertaking of the proposed surveys and that the results be reported back in due course through the Overview and Scrutiny Committee prior to the authority deciding what further action to take in respect of the findings.