Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council backed calls on Tuesday for stronger oversight of houses in multiple occupation across the borough, following residents’ concerns about parking, noise, refuse and antisocial behaviour in areas including the BT52 and BT55 postcodes.
The motion, proposed by TUV councillor Allister Kyle and seconded by Councillor Jonathan McAuley, was carried by the environmental committee, nine votes to none, with five abstentions. It will see the council seek discussions with Communities Minister Gordon Lyons about additional regulatory powers under the Houses in Multiple Occupation (Northern Ireland) Act 2016.
The council will also invite Belfast City Council, which operates the regional HMO service, to conduct compliance checks on licensed properties and investigate homes suspected of operating without regulation.
Stormont departments will be asked to develop a stronger policy for managing HMOs across Causeway Coast and Glens while ensuring sufficient accommodation remains available for Ulster University students and other residents.
Councillors will also receive updated HMO numbers broken down by district electoral area, along with details of inspections already conducted in the borough.
Councillor Kyle said the proposal was not directed against students or responsible landlords. He said Ulster University was an important asset and acknowledged that many HMOs were well managed and operated lawfully.
However, he pointed to concerns raised by residents in the BT51, BT52 and BT55 postcode areas about the concentration of shared properties. Those concerns included pressure on parking, waste management, noise, antisocial behaviour and changes to the character of established neighbourhoods.
He described the motion as an attempt to balance the demand for accommodation with the rights of existing communities. He also said effective enforcement would protect reputable landlords from being undercut by operators who ignored licensing rules.
Kevin Bloomfield, manager of the Belfast-based HMO Unit, told councillors that the number of licensed HMOs in the borough had remained relatively stable. Causeway DEA contained 151 of the borough’s 214 licensed HMOs, while their combined permitted occupancy was 933 people.
Mr Bloomfield said every property reported as a potentially unlicensed HMO was investigated. Complaints could be submitted by tenants, neighbours, elected representatives or council environmental health officers.
Inspections involving reports from neighbours or councillors were generally conducted without warning in the evening, with two enforcement officers attending to establish how a property was being occupied.
Operating an unlicensed HMO is an offence carrying a £5,000 fixed penalty for the owner. A managing agent involved in the property can face an additional £5,000 penalty.
During the latest reporting quarter, one owner received a fixed-penalty notice for operating an unlicensed HMO. Enforcement officers also used statutory powers of entry at another property after access had not been provided.
Mr Bloomfield said all HMOs were inspected before a licence was granted and again when it was renewed, normally after five years. A random 10 per cent sample of licensed properties was also inspected annually, while homes subject to complaints or concerns could be placed on a watch list.
Alliance councillor Lee Kane questioned whether the available figures supported the motion’s reference to an “upsurge” in applications. He noted that just over 200 of the borough’s approximately 57,500 homes were licensed HMOs, representing about 0.4 per cent of the housing stock.
Mr Bloomfield confirmed that licensed HMO numbers in BT52 and BT55 had remained relatively static. He distinguished licensing from planning, explaining that HMO licence decisions could not take account of parking or loss of residential amenity, which had to be addressed through planning policy.
Section 12 of the 2016 Act deals with the potential overprovision of HMOs. Mr Bloomfield said the council could use its emerging Local Development Plan to define areas and introduce policies addressing concentrations of HMOs or other high-density accommodation.
He cited approaches elsewhere in Northern Ireland, including percentage thresholds used or considered by Belfast City Council and Derry City and Strabane District Council. Such policies could apply to particular streets, neighbourhoods or smaller defined areas where concentrations were identified.
DUP councillor Darryl Wilson said his party was broadly supportive of the exploratory motion. He also called for clearer public information about HMOs, arguing that the term could cause unnecessary concern despite most properties being operated responsibly.
SDLP councillor Michael Coyle stressed the importance of enforcement but also highlighted the need for affordable accommodation for students and young professionals. He abstained after expressing reservations about supporting or opposing the proposal.
Following the recorded vote, the council agreed to pursue the requested ministerial engagement, enforcement information and policy work. Officers are also expected to explore training or community information sessions with Belfast City Council’s HMO Unit.
