Councillor Simon Geraghty, the former leader of Worcester City Council fears a stampede of local houses to be snapped up by landlords wishing to get in before the change of policy on student properties next year.

From June next year the Council is introducing a zero tolerance that all landlords renting out new properties within the St. John’s area, must apply for a “change of use” if they are going turn any property into student accommodation under Article 4.

Councillor Gergathy is demanding that the council, Labour controlled, gives clear information and guidance before next year to stop landlords jumping the gun.

 

He  said: “When we decided to bring this policy in it was because of concern some areas of the city were getting disproportionate numbers of student properties.

“It impacts upon the character of an area, on the parking situation in that street and on bin collections.

“But a year’s notice was given for it and my fear is what will happen ‘in year’ - residents are becoming concerned about people buying up properties now in a bid to circumvent the change.

 

“That’s the feeling I’m beginning to get, and I want some urgent work to be done to establish on how many are we content to have in one street? If we laid down the ‘rules of the game’ early maybe landlords would not be in a mad dash to get a property now.”

He is also concerned that some areas are close to flooding with student properties in parts of St Clement city council ward.

HMO’s(Houses of Multiple Accommodation) will not be exempt from Article 4, in future all landlords wishing to buy properties for renting will have to submit an application for a “change to use” and the council’s planning department will then review it.

The cabinet member for safer and stronger communities, Councillor Roger Berry said: “It’s a bit too simplistic to talk about how many we can limit to a street as there has to be planning grounds (for refusal).

“Whatever we introduce, it has to be justified under the planning system.

“Clearly, overdevelopment and over-looking on other properties are the kinds of things we’ll have to look at in terms of planning guidance.”

 

When it was first announced last year, landlords launched a campaign to get it thrown out, but lost their bid.