Portsmouth North MP Amanda Martin has written to the council leader demanding immediate action over the missing HMO register, which hasn’t been updated for 15 months, leaving residents without crucial housing information.
The MP has penned a letter to Portsmouth City Council’s leader expressing grave concerns about the absence of a current, publicly accessible register of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across the city.
Local councils must create and maintain registers of licensed HMOs within their boundaries—a vital requirement for community transparency and public awareness. Portsmouth City Council’s online register remains outdated by 15 months.
Speaking about the issue, Amanda Martin MP stated: “I recently highlighted the case of a Portsmouth family seeking accommodation through the council. This exposed the shocking reality that clearing the current waiting list for four-bedroom homes would take 12 years—before considering any new applications.”
The housing crisis is being worsened by the continued transformation of family properties into HMOs. Recent conversions have affected homes across Balfour Road, Chichester Road, Cardiff Road, Laburnum Grove, and numerous other locations.
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The Portsmouth North representative continued: “Whilst technical difficulties may have initially prevented the HMO register’s publication, 15 months without a public update is wholly unacceptable. This information gap leaves our community uninformed and hampers residents’ ability to understand and address local housing issues.”
This correspondence follows the MP’s parliamentary intervention, where she sought urgent support from the Leader of the House of Commons to resolve the matter.
Having previously sought an updated register only to be denied access, Amanda Martin MP concluded: “The council must acknowledge this issue’s gravity. Housing policy transparency and accountability are fundamental to keeping residents informed about neighbourhood developments. Residents suspecting unregistered HMOs in their area should contact my office—I will escalate concerns directly to council officials.”
