Derbyshire sees rise in HMOs amidst concerns for living conditions and communities

Pictured is Walton Street, Long Eaton, supplied by Erewash Borough Council.

Derbyshire is seeing a rise in new communal residential properties known as HMOs matching increases in the shared bed-sit style accommodation across the country amidst concerns they pose issues including poor housing alternatives, cramped conditions, drainage issues, anti-social behaviour, tenant exploitation and the erosion of neighbourhood character.

Local authorities including Chesterfield Borough, Bolsover District, Erewash Borough and Derbyshire Dales District Council have all recently approved House in Multiple Occupation schemes involving conversions of old buildings or new-builds while developers, landlords and some councils argue they are providing affordable accommodation and often reviving derelict buildings and land which may have become eyesores or magnets for anti-social behaviour.

In a recent objection to an approved HMO in Shirebrook, Derbyshire County Cllr Sarah Reaney, for Shirebrook and Pleasley, stated: “I must say, I strongly object to yet another HMO in Shirebrook as the oversaturation of HMOS in the area is changing the balance and demographic of the town .

“Over the last few weeks I have received numerous emails from concerned residents of Shirebrook outlining their anger, concern and worry regarding the number of HMOs.”

Bolsover District Council approved these plans subject to conditions for the first and second floors above an existing ground-floor takeaway to be converted into a three-bedroom HMO on Main Street, in Shirebrook, after Council Leader, Cllr Jane Yates, requested the application be referred to the planning committee for full consideration given the rising number of HMOs in the town.

The council also received a total of 17 representations from 16 individuals one of which stated they felt HMOs can have a detrimental effect on neighbouring properties, however, council planners argued this HMO is well-placed near facilities such as parking and shops and away from other residential areas.

Those who objected were concerned about the oversaturation of HMOs in Shirebrook claiming they result in an increased number of transient people and a reduction in the availability of family housing while posing an additional strain on medical services and schools and a potential increase in anti-social behaviour and crime levels along with concerns over parking and future residents.

But the council’s planning officers argued the use of a part vacant plot will contribute to the vitality and viability of the town centre location and the decision was considered to be an effective use of land and that the HMO is consistent with a national drive for additional housing.

A Bolsover District Council report stated: “It is accepted that there are numerous other HMOs within the Shirebrook and the concerns and objections, including increased anti-social behaviour, raised by local residents are noted, however, there is no mechanism to prevent applications for such uses coming forward – likewise, there are no means to direct HMO uses to one specific location or to be distributed more widely across the district.”

Bolsover District Council also approved the conversion of the New Victoria Inn, at Acreage Road, Shirebrook, in November, 2024, into retail premises on the ground floor with the first and second floors to become two self-contained flats as well as a seven-bedroom HMO.

This application was also referred to Bolsover District Council’s planning committee by Cllr Yates because at the time there were already 15 licensed HMOs in the district, eight of which within the Shirebrook South wards where this scheme is located.

Cllr Yates stated there had been multiple issues within HMOs across the district, citing the examples of the former Station Hotel in Shirebrook North ward and the former King of Diamonds in Langwith ward which were not on the list of licensed sites on the district council’s website.

Chesterfield-based Dovedale Property Ltd was also recently granted planning permission in April by Chesterfield Borough Council subject to conditions to demolish derelict buildings and to build a three-storey HMO with 11 bedrooms at the rear of Wharf Lane, Chesterfield, in the hope of reviving a troubled neighbourhood eyesore despite planning officers’ concerns about the size and limited number of windows for some of the rooms in the proposed property.

Those who submitted objections also raised concerns about potential over-development, limited access, the strain on the sewage system, insufficient parking, the loss of space and an increase in vehicle movements.

However, those in favour of this scheme stated the site was currently derelict and had attracted problems with fly-tipping, litter, waste and dog excrement and councillors were eager to make use of the site rather than allowing it to fester.

A Chesterfield Borough Council spokesperson said: “We recognise concerns some residents raise about Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), including impacts on parking, highways and neighbourhood amenity.

“Any planning application is assessed on its own merits against national and local planning policy, including traffic, noise and disturbance, outlook and light.

“Unacceptable proposals, including cramped layouts or poor-quality accommodation, are unlikely to be granted permission.”

Some are concerned HMOs could be used to house immigrants or asylum seekers particularly in light of Government plans to stop using hotels for this purpose, although HMOs are mostly used to house students, young professionals or those on a tight budget seeking affordable accommodation during the current housing crisis.

Chesterfield Borough Council says it runs a mandatory HMO licensing scheme under the Housing Act 2004 separately from planning.

A Chesterfield Borough Council spokesperson added: “Our robust process includes fit and proper person checks, fire, gas, electrical certification, inspections against space and amenity standards, and licence conditions requiring landlords to tackle anti-social behaviour.”

Other recently new HMO plans include: The conversion of a B&B into a six-person HMO on the A6 road near the Giddy Edge hiking path, approved by Derbyshire Dales District Council; The conversion of a maisonette and office, on Saltergate, Chesterfield, into an HMO with nine en-suite bedrooms for nine residents approved by Chesterfield Borough Council; The conversion of a vacant former massage parlour at the corner of High Street and Hillcrest Drive, in Codnor, into an eight-bedroom HMO, approved by Amber Valley Borough Council; The conversion of a former beauty salon on St Margaret’s Drive, Chesterfield, into a ten-bedroom HMO approved by Chesterfield Borough Council; The conversion of  Burton’s Home Furniture, in Beaconsfield Street, Long Eaton, into two HMOs with a total of 14 bedsits, approved by Erewash Borough Council.

Specialist landlord insurance providers, Just Landlords, has stated its research has revealed new data showing a 40per cent rise in HMO licence applications since 2018.

Research from Just Landlords, based on Freedom of Information requests to local councils, revealed that annual HMO applications have jumped from 41,162 in 2018 to 57,725 last year.

Erewash Borough Council has been so concerned about the increase in smaller HMOs being legally allowed without the need for planning approval that it approved the start of an 18-month process in November, 2025, to bring in additional restrictions for HMOs in parts of Ilkeston, Long Eaton and Sandiacre.

Councillors claim this is necessary to monitor and stop properties being converted ‘under the radar’ in what has been a surge in ‘cramped’ homes more akin to ‘prison cells’ and ‘rabbit hutches’.

Owners of properties that are rented to six occupants or fewer have been able to cite permitted development rights, according to the council, meaning people living nearby cannot object on the grounds of any impact they may suffer.

These rights can only be removed under what is known as an Article 4 direction which the authority is pursuing for HMOs in Long Eaton, Ilkeston and Sandiacre to make it mandatory for developers and landlords aiming to convert a property into an HMO to file a planning application and seek planning permission.

Cllr Curtis Howard – Erewash’s Lead Member for Planning and Regeneration – has criticised how long the the procedure takes and he has argued this is because ‘the system is set up to benefit property owners, not local people’.

He said: “It takes a year – meaning the earliest that Erewash can bring in tougher planning rules is early in 2027.

“In the meantime we are taking a number of measures to control these HMOs, including an initiative to ensure all are licensed and in proper order. A major investigation that was launched by the authority found many were not.”

Cllr Howard added that the council will be hiring a whole new team to enforce the new Renters’ Rights Act to making sure landlords follow the rules.

The council says three-bedroom Victorian terrace properties are highly prized by HMO landlords looking to rent out six rooms which also pushes up prices for local people desperate to get on the housing ladder.

Lounges in such properties typically get converted into a bedroom, according to the council, with additional rooms added to the loft areas and the rear of properties via permitted development rights for extensions to establish HMOs which often have shared bathrooms and kitchens.

Erewash Borough Council has estimated the current number of HMOs in its borough stands at around 160 but because the council has little say in the process it has been hard for the authority to keep track of the exact number.

A recent council meeting at Long Eaton Town Hall was told that there are 60 licensed HMOs in  Long Eaton, Ilkeston and Sandiacre but more than double that for currently unlicensed HMOs.

The council added that residents on Walton Street, in Long Eaton, have also raised concerns after some of the houses on their street have been converted into HMOs.

HMOs which require planning applications are obliged to be added to the borough’s HMO register with a licence involving checks to aid landlords and tenants. These same restrictions have also been adopted in Derby and Nottingham.

Erewash MP Adam Thompson said: “I first became aware of the rapid rise in HMOs last summer, when people contacted me about several conversions happening at once on Bennett Street, in Long Eaton.

“There were numerous skips in the road, a portaloo blocking the pavement, and rubble scattered about everywhere. I wrote to Derbyshire County Council about the number of skip licenses issued on the same narrow stretch of road, and met with planners at Erewash Borough Council to discuss HMO policy more broadly.

“Since then, things have moved quickly. My colleagues on Erewash Borough Council have prepared and voted to enact an Article 4 Direction, which removes the permitted development right to convert a family home into a HMO within a certain area.

“This will cover almost all of Ilkeston, Long Eaton, and Sandiacre – because what we don’t want is to solve the problem in one area, and simply have it shift elsewhere.

“This doesn’t mean that HMOs are banned – just that they need full planning permission. That means people living near them can be consulted, make objections if necessary, and have their voices heard.

“This is a very emotive topic for local people. I held a public meeting for residents of Walton Street in Long Eaton a couple of months ago, and it was pretty tough.

“The current procedure for bringing in an Article 4 means that it takes a year for the new rules to come into force. There is far too much emphasis on the rights of landlords and developers, and not enough on the people who actually live in these communities.

“Some HMOs are good quality – fully licensed, with reasonable amenities and living space, available at an affordable price. But there have been way too many slapdash conversions, aimed at cramming in as many people as possible, with landlords just looking to make a quick buck.

“The Article 4, stronger licensing and planning enforcement by the council, the new Renters’ Rights Act – it’s all about making sure that the rules are being followed, so that people in Erewash have decent places to live.

“I lived in HMOs when I was a student – that’s what they were designed for. But now you’ve got young professionals, people in full-time work, living in them, because they simply can’t afford much else.

“HMOs are a symptom of the housing crisis, and I think they’re a particularly nasty one. People deserve decent homes and a say over what happens on their street. That’s the change we’re now delivering in Erewash.”

The Labour Government, which introduced more stringent vetting for new HMOs last year, plans to bring in retrospective registration fees and rules on minimum standards for existing properties.

A Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government spokesperson said: “The Renters’ Rights Act will ensure HMOs are safe and properly managed, including through the Decent Homes Standard – which landlords will have a legal duty to meet.

“Local authorities already have the ability to limit the increase of HMOs within their area and the Act strengthens their powers to take action against unscrupulous landlords, through action like fines and banning orders.”

The Government department stated that if a landlord breaches HMO regulations, local authorities have the power to issue fines, prosecute, impose a civil penalty as an alternative to prosecution, or seek a banning order.

Local authorities also have planning powers to limit the proliferation of HMOs within their locality, according to the Government, where there is sufficient evidence of a need to do so, by using an Article 4 direction while larger HMOs always require planning permission.

The Government department is considering the results of a consultation on changes to National Planning Policy Framework including proposals relating to Article 4 direction policy, proposing a more flexible policy so planning authorities can remove permitted development rights where necessary to protect an area when there is an over-concentration of small HMOs.

Sarah Elliott, Chief Executive of charity Shelter, which campaigns for housing justice, said: “Everyone deserves access to a safe and secure home. If well maintained, HMOs can be a practical option for some, including students and people new to the area.

“But with rents sky high and a lack of genuinely affordable social rent homes, far too many people are left with no choice but to put up with cramped, expensive and sometimes shoddy HMOs, while opportunistic landlords make a profit.

“The Government must support cash-strapped councils to crack down on unscrupulous landlords letting out substandard homes. But in the long-term, the only way to end the housing emergency and put people over greedy profiteering, is to deliver a new generation of social homes.”

Chris Norris, Chief Policy Officer at the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Houses in Multiple Occupation provide an affordable and practical solution for renters who might otherwise struggle to find a home in their desired location, close to their workplace, family, or friends.

“HMOs have been the accommodation of choice for a variety of household types for decades, including students, recent graduates, and single person households looking for cost effective homes.

“It is worth noting that, whilst some areas may have experienced an increase in the number of HMO conversions and purpose built construction, the significant increase in licence applications since 2018 is due to a change in the type of buildings subject to mandatory licensing, which brought thousands more existing properties into the scope of local authority licensing schemes.

“HMOs are subject to strict regulation, including on minimum space and amenity standards. This sits alongside licensing requirements and a more complex, in-depth regulatory framework than is applied to single let properties.

“When it comes to addressing the minority of rogue and criminal landlords in the private rental market, we need swift and robust enforcement of existing regulations designed to drive out those landlords who give the sector a bad name.”

Bolsover District Council and Derbyshire Dales District Council as well as Chesterfield MP Toby Perkins, Bolsover MP Natalie Fleet and Derbyshire Dales MP John Whitby were also approached for comments but have not yet issued any responses.