Students with families have won a battle over renting restrictions after council officials proposed changes to the letting rules.
Councillors at York Council conducted a review into planning permission laws to show that it had “struck a sensible balance on the issue of houses in multiple occupation” and maintained a “balanced community”.
The review comes following complaints from students with families that they had been prevented from letting properties because of rules brought in last year which force home owners to ask for planning permission if they wish for their property to become a house in multiple occupation (HMO).
The rules were designed to give more control to council bosses over the spread of HMOs because of the impact concern on neighbourhoods.
But it has prompted 60 application requests, with those closest to the University – on Hull Road, Fishergate and Heworth – seeing 14 applications approved and 17 rejected.
A new report believes that students with families have found landlords reluctant to let them properties through fear that the home will forfeit its HMO planning permission and be forced to reapply.
Cabinet member Dave Merrett told the Yorkshire Post that the changes would protect “existing family accommodation” and maintain balanced communities in areas “under pressure for conversion to HMOs.”
The proposed change seeks to allow landlords ten years worth of planning permission so their homes can be let to both individuals and students with families.