The number of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) has a real effect on a neighbourhood. Too many, too quickly, in the wrong places, and the character of a street changes, parking gets worse and standards can slip.
Burnley has an Article 4 Direction that removes the automatic right to convert a family home into a small HMO without planning permission. It covers nine of the borough’s fifteen wards. Six wards still have no protection at all.
Reform councillors, including Cllr Liam Thomson, have argued that the same protection should apply right across Burnley, so that one part of the borough is not left exposed while another is covered.
This is not about being against people who rent. It is about decent standards, sensible planning, and making sure the minority of landlords who let properties fall below an acceptable standard cannot do so unchecked.
We will keep pressing for fair, consistent rules across the whole borough. If HMOs are an issue where you live, tell us.
