Are there only two HMOs in Merthyr Tydfil?
A Freedom of Information request revealed there are only two mandatory licensed Houses in Multiple Occupation in the Merthyr Tydfil Borough.
Hello and welcome to The Valleys Lead.
We’ve been hearing a lot about HMOs lately. People have expressed sympathy for those living in them, anger about the noise disruptions, frustration about parking, and fear about the type of people who might be living next door. The Valleys Lead wants to cover what people are talking about, but first, we thought it might be wise to define our terms. So that is what this edition is all about.
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The Valleys Briefing
(A little round-up of some stories in brief from our valleys. Anytime you have something you’d like to share, no matter how big or small, email laurencrosbymedlicott@gmail.com):
Plaid Cymru Senedd Member Lindsay Whittle has pressed the case for improved rail services in Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent with the First Minster. The Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili and Rhymni MS said improvements to rail services would offer people in the area greater opportunities to access major population centres. In a question to Rhun ap Iorwerth at the Senedd on Tuesday, Whittle said: “Residents in Nelson have campaigned for a reopening of the rail connection to the main Rhymney Valley line for many years. Discussions have taken place on an extension from the Ebbw Vale line to a proposed Abertillery Transport Interchange as part of the Cardiff Capital Region. It is an ongoing issue. Rail extensions to these areas would provide expanded opportunities and access to the major centres around the south of Wales and the rest of Britain.
The First Minister replied: “Working with Transport for Wales, we’ll deliver better rail services in Blaenau Gwent, Caerffili and Rhymni with more trains, faster, more reliable services and investment in stations, including Caerphilly Interchange. Where we do have control on the core Valleys line, for example, the decision was made on reopening, such as the line to Nelson and between Aberdare and Hirwaun. But any reopening requires significant funding. That is why we need a fair funding settlement for rail from the UK Government. Just imagine what we could do with that £5bn of money owed to us because of HS2.”
Council services in Caerphilly continue to come under “substantial” strain despite a £1.8 million budget underspend last year, with pressures on social care, school transport and temporary accommodation. Councillor Eluned Stenner, the local authority’s cabinet member for finance, said the underspend against a revenue budget of £477 million “reflects proactive financial management,”
but warned the council’s joint scrutiny committee a “significant” chunk of those savings were one-offs, and the council continues to face rising bills for the services it provides. Collectively, schools have overspent by more than £2.3 million and 30 of the county borough’s 82 schools were in the red in April. As a result, the overall school balances have shrunk from a £1.9 million surplus to a £375,000 deficit.
There isn’t going to be an increase in taxi licensing fees in Merthyr Tydfil. The proposed changes to taxi licence fees in Merthyr Tydfil were that a three-year licence for a new driver increase from £272 to £312, a three-year driver licence renewal go up from £230 to £290, the vehicle fee rise from £154 to £217, and the private hire operator five-year licence fee increase from £135 to £394.
Are there only two HMOs in Merthyr Tydfil?
The Valleys Lead can reveal - via a Freedom of Information request made to Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council - that there are only two mandatory licensed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in the whole of the Merthyr Tydfil Borough.
Both homes are located in the Town area.
When The Valleys Lead shared this number with residents in Merthyr Tydfil, several were adamant that the Council had been misleading, and that the number is indeed much higher, with comments such as: “I can think of five within two minutes of me.”
Is the Council deceiving residents? Or are we working with different definitions of an HMO?
In this edition, we are hoping to define our terms. What’s an HMO? Do we know how many are there in Merthyr Tydfil? Why are they used? Are there risks associated with them?
After this, we want to continue covering HMOs and housing, so please get in touch if you have thoughts for us. You can email me at laurencrosbymedlicott@gmail.com.
What’s the definition of an HMO?
The two properties referred to in the FOI have mandatory licences (licensed by Environmental Health), meeting a specific set of criteria, namely that they are occupied by more than five people, and have three stories, a Merthyr Tydfil Council spokesperson told The Valleys Lead.” In Merthyr Tydfil the number of HMOs with a mandatory licence is two,” they continued.
However this is only one definition of an HMO. Planning definitions and Housing provision definitions are different. Below are the definitions of both that we were given by Merthyr Tydfil Council.
From a Housing provision perspective a property is an HMO if:
Occupied by 2 or more households (Households = people not related or not one family unit)
Occupiers share basic amenities (for example - kitchen, bath and/or toilet facilities)
Main/only residence – mainly used for temporary accommodation
For Planning purposes:
C4 Houses in multiple occupation - small shared houses or flats occupied by between three and six unrelated individuals, as their only or main residence, who share basic amenities such as a kitchen or bathroom. For the purposes of class C4, a ‘house in multiple occupation’ has the same meaning as in section 254 of the Housing Act 2004 and does not include a converted block of flats to which section 257 of the Housing Act 2004 applies.
Under these definitions, there are likely to be a lot more than two HMOs in Merthyr Tydfil. And in fact, as residents thought, there are indeed more than two.
