Landlords hit back at praise for Portsmouth HMO scheme

Portsmouth City Council introduced additional licensing in September 2023 to strengthen oversight of the city’s growing number of HMOs and ensure proper safety and management standards.

The independent review, funded by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, found Portsmouth was not an “outlier” compared to other councils, as suggested by the Portsmouth & District Private Landlords Association (PDPLA).

Conversely, the review noted that “the approaches PCC are taking are becoming increasingly popular”.

It added: “For example, an increasing number of councils appear to be expanding their approach to additional licensing beyond a small number of wards, and towards more citywide approaches.”

The review praised Portsmouth for a “more sophisticated approach” than many authorities, highlighting its tiered licensing system, which rewards compliant landlords with lower fees, and its “more transparent” enforcement policy with a clear “ladder of escalation”.

However, the PDPLA remains critical of the scheme. Martin Silman, chairman of the association, who previously made controversial comparisons between the plight of HMO landlords and Jews under Nazi persecution, maintains the scheme “should never have been introduced”.

Silman argues the belief HMO growth was “out of control” was based on data “never supported by any local evidence”. He called the process “bureaucratic” and “cumbersome”, claiming it led to the “wipe out” of small HMOs and the loss of “thousands of affordable rooms”.

Responding to the report’s mention of similar schemes in Southampton and Bristol, Silman asserted Portsmouth’s system is more “complex, bureaucratic, and difficult to negotiate than either Southampton or Bristol”.

He cited stricter space and amenity standards than Southampton’s and noted Bristol’s application form “apparently takes 20 minutes to fill out”, compared with Portsmouth’s 84-page document.

Silman also rejected the report’s description of Portsmouth’s licensing fees as mid-range, noting the standard licence lasts only 2.5 years. He added that landlords face extra costs to “jump through hoops to obtain a five-year licence”, which he claims boosts council revenue.

He proposed a streamlined system with a standard five-year licence and reduced fees for accredited landlords, including those using managing agent accreditation or third-party inspectors to ensure property quality.

Although the review found no unlawful practices, Silman claimed the council had acted unlawfully in some cases, citing a 2012 regulation and a High Court ruling he believes the renewal process breaches.

He also said poor communication from the council had led to fines for landlords unaware of the scheme.

While supporting an independent review of the scheme’s economic impact, Silman insisted it must not be led by local officials. He questioned whether the scheme was ever needed or effective, calling it “unnecessary, cumbersome, expensive, ill-crafted and unworkable”.

Residents can read the ‘Portsmouth City Council HMO Additional Licensing Assurance’ report on the council website.