Appendix 1 - Full survey results and answers/comments
In total 99 responses to the online survey were received. This was below what was expected and was disappointing considering the number of letters and e-mails that were issued and the wide advertising of the proposals. Although, as detailed in the introduction, it was expected that the majority of respondents would be owner-occupiers within the proposed wards, it was surprising that even those landlords and tenants who were fully aware of the proposals and have in the past commented on issues regarding licensing, maintenance and repair of properties, and have previously been quite vocal about mandatory licencing regimes, failed to submit any response or complete the online survey regarding the council’s proposals.
Some landlords and agents who did respond, interestingly, chose to complete the online survey as owner-occupiers, rather than as a landlord or agent. Given that some of their feedback was against the proposals it would perhaps have been expected that they would have wished to have given a greater voice to landlords and agents, rather than owner-occupiers who tend to be more in favour of licensing and additional controls on HMOs as they often feel that “their” area is made worse by the presence of large numbers of multiple occupied properties.
The results for the overall response (of 99 submitted) are detailed below. Please note that the question numbers in the summary and in the full results do not match, but this is simply due to the way that the survey was created with separate questions for each type of respondent.
Also, note that figures may be rounded up/down for some questions where there is a percentage with a fraction of a total and so in some cases the total may amount to just over or just under 100%. Where relevant, the highest number of responses has been highlighted in bold text, except where “Don’t know” was the highest. In some cases this will be the same for multiple responses.
Consultation surveys conducted by other local authorities when they were considering introducing or renewing additional HMO licensing schemes had varying response rates. For example, Hastings Borough Council in 2017 received 72 responses (45 from landlords and letting agents, 17 from owners and other interested partis and 10 from tenants), and Coventry City Council in 2020 received 137 responses, so although much lower than had been hoped for, the response rate isn’t necessarily outside of that experienced by some other local authorities.
1.All respondents – Title
Number/percent of all respondents (Total 99)
Mr – 49 (49.5%)
Mrs – 27 (27.2%)
Ms – 13 (13.1%)
Miss – 10 (10.1%)
Doctor – 0 (0%)
Councillor – 0 (0%)
Other – 0 (0%)
2.All respondents - What age band do you fall into?
Number/percent of all respondents (Total 99)
Under 18 – 0 (0%)
18-24 – 1 (1%)
25-34 – 6 (6%)
35-44 – 8 (8%)
45-54 – 16 (16.1%)
55-64 – 39 (39.4%)
65-74 – 17 (17.2%)
75 or over – 12 (12%)
3.All respondents - Which of the following apply to you in regard to a property you live in within Arun District?
Number/percent of all respondents (Total 99)
Tenant in a privately rented property – 14 (14.1%)
Tenant in Social Housing – 0 (0%)
Landlord – 10 (10%)
Managing Agent/Agent – 1 (1%)
Owner-occupier – 69 (69.7%)
Other – 2 (2%)
None of the above – 3 (3%)
Of the two people that replied “other” one stated they were a letting agent. The other responded that they were a homeowner and resident. It is reasonable to assume therefore that the data in regard to the respondent saying they were a homeowner can actually be categorised under the owner-occupier title.
Tenants renting in the Private Rental Sector (PRS) were asked a number of questions regarding the accommodation that they live in.
4.What sort of property do you live in?
Number/percent of all respondents (Total 14)
Entire house (only you or you and your family live in it) – 2 (14.3%)
Shared house (you or you and your family share the house with other individuals) – 1 (7.1%)
Self-contained flat (it has its own bathroom and kitchen facilities that only you or you and your family use) – 11 (78.6%)
Shared flat (you share bathroom and/or kitchen facilities with other people) – 0 (0%)
Other – 0 (0%)
5.If you ticked that you live in a shared house or shared flat, how many people live in the property?
Number/percent of privately renting tenant respondents (Total 1)
2 – 0 (0%)
3 – 0 (0%)
4 – 0 (0%)
5 – 0 (0%)
6 – 0 (0%)
7 – 0 (0%)
More than 7 – (1) 100%
Don’t know – 0 (0%)
It can be deduced therefore that there was only one respondent who was a tenant in a shared property and all of the other tenants in private sector housing must be living in self-contained accommodation, such as a house or flat where they do not share any facilities, either living as a single occupant or as part of a single household.
6.If you ticked that you live in a shared house or shared flat, does the property currently have a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence?
Number/percent of privately renting tenant respondents (Total 1)
Yes – 0 (0%)
No – 1 (100%)
Don’t know – 0 (0%)
As only one person responded who identified that they lived in a shared house or flat, only one answer was provided. The single response accounts for the zero figures for the other answers. The respondent stated that the property they lived in did not have a mandatory HMO licence despite it having more than seven people reported to be sharing facilities.
7.Are you a full-time student attending the University of Chichester?
Number/percent of privately renting tenant respondents (Total 14)
Yes – Bognor Regis Campus – 1 (7.1%)
Yes - Chichester Campus – 0 (0%)
No – 13 (92.9%)
8.Is the property you rent registered on the Arun and Chichester Landlord Accreditation Scheme?
Number/percent of privately renting tenant respondents who are students (Total 1)
Yes – 0 (0%)
No – 0 (0%)
Don’t know – 1 (100%)
This was a follow-up question to the previous one asking if the tenant was a student enrolled at the University of Chichester. As only one person responded identified that they were such a student in a shared house or flat, only one answer was provided. The single response accounts for the zero figures for the other answers.
9.Do you live or work in one of the wards proposed for the additional HMO licensing designation?
Number/percent of privately renting tenant respondents (Total 14)
Yes – I live in River ward – 3 (21.4%)
Yes – I work in River ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I live in Hotham ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I work in Hotham ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I live in Marine ward – 7 (50%)
Yes – I work in Marine ward – 1 (7.1%)
No – I don’t live or work in any of these – 3 (21.4%)
10.As a tenant renting from a private landlord, have you had problems with any of the following issues? Respondents were able to choose as many as were applicable (and thus the total numbers/percentage may be higher than the 14 privately rented respondents that answered):
Damp and disrepair – 4 (28.6%)
Overcrowding – 0 (0%)
Lack of heating – 2 (14.3%)
Lack of basic amenities (bath/shower, kitchen facilities, etc.) – 0 (0%)
Lack of safety measures – 0 (0%)
Dirty and poorly maintained communal stairs and hallways – 2 (14.3%)
Rubbish and waste accumulations – 2 (14.3%)
General lack of management and supervision – 1 (7.1%)
Lack of tenancy paperwork – 0 (0%)
Poor response to requests for repairs – 3 (21.4%)
Harassment and/or illegal eviction including pressure to leave without notice – 0 (0%)
Retaliatory eviction, for example, evicted after complaining of disrepair – 0 (0%)
Other – 3 (21.4%)
None – 24 (8.6%)
Other = Fly-tipping/waste – 2 (14.2%)
Unaffordable rent increases – 1 (7.1%)
11.If a respondent said they had experienced issues they were asked about how they went about resolving the issue(s) and who they contacted.
Of seven responses received to this question, two replied that they contacted the landlord, two stated that they contacted the managing agent and three said that the matter had been left unresolved despite contacting their landlord or agent.
12. Tenants were then asked if this was successful in resolving the matter.
Number/percent of privately renting tenant respondents (Total 13)
Yes – 7 (53.8%)
No – 1 (7.7%)
Partially – 4 (30.7%)
Not applicable – 1 (7.7%)
The total number of responses (13) here reflects that not all respondents identified that they had encountered any issues in the previous questions.
13.Tenants were asked to provide additional information to the previous question. The responses received were as follows:
“Reporting fly tipping to the management company, and getting it removed. The cost of which is paid by landlords and residents”
“Good landlord that is effective in dealing with issues”
“Most double glazing needs replacing.”
“The flat is small and clearing any area of it for work is majorly dusruptive [sic] to me, esp. As I am working PT.”
“Good relationship with agents and landlords – good communication.”
14.When tenants were asked if the issue(s) they had encountered were at the same property that they still lived in:
Number/percent of privately renting tenant respondents (Total 12)
Yes – 10 (83.3%)
No – 1 (8.3%)
Not applicable – 1 (8.3%)
The total number of responses here reflects that not all respondents identified that they had encountered any issues in a previous question.
Tenants renting from a Social Housing Provider/Housing Association were asked the following questions relating to their accommodation.
No responses were received from any tenants in this tenure type. This isn’t perhaps a surprising outcome as tenants in social housing properties would be unaffected by any changes to the proposed additional HMO licensing scheme and probably considered that there was therefore no benefit in responding to the consultation. It would have been interesting to have found out whether they had experienced any issues in any previous privately rented properties that they may have lived in, and whether they have experienced any issues in their social housing property.
15.What sort of property do you live in?
Number/percent respondents from social housing tenants (Total 0)
Entire house (only you or you and your family live in it) – 0 (0%)
Self-contained flat (it has its own bathroom and kitchen facilities that only you or you and your family use) – 0 (0%)
Other – 0 (0%)
16.Do you live or work in one of the wards proposed for the additional HMO licensing designation?
Number/percent respondents from social housing tenants (Total 0)
Yes – I live in River ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I work in River ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I live in Hotham ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I work in Hotham ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I live in Marine ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I work in Marine ward – 0 (0%)
No – I don’t live or work in any of these - 0 (0%)
17.As a tenant renting from a social housing provider/Housing Association, have you had problems with any of the following issues? Respondents were able to choose as many as were applicable:
Number/percent respondents from social housing tenants (Total 0)
Damp and mould growth – 0 (0%)
Overcrowding – 0 (0%)
Lack of heating – 0 (0%)
Lack of basic amenities (bath/shower, kitchen facilities, etc.) – 0 (0%)
Lack of safety measures – 0 (0%)
Dirty and poorly maintained communal stairs and hallways – 0 (0%)
Rubbish and waste accumulations – 0 (0%)
General lack of management and supervision – 0 (0%)
Lack of tenancy paperwork – 0 (0%)
Poor response to requests for repairs – 0 (0%)
Harassment and/or illegal eviction including pressure to leave without notice – 0 (0%)
Retaliatory eviction, for example, evicted after complaining of disrepair – 0 (0%)
Other – 0 (0%)
None – 0 (0%)
18.If a respondent said they had experienced issues they were asked about how they went about resolving the issue(s) and who they contacted.
No responses were received.
19. They were then asked if this was successful in resolving the matter.
Number/percent respondents from social housing tenants (Total 0)
Yes – 0 (0%)
No – 0 (0%)
Partially – 0 (0%)
20.Respondents that gave additional information said:
No responses were received.
21.When respondents were asked if the issue(s they had encountered were at the same property that they still lived in:
Number/percent respondents from social housing tenants (Total 0)
Yes – 0 (0%)
No – 0 (0%)
Landlords were asked the following questions relating to their rented properties. (If landlords wished to answer the survey as an owner-occupier (or other title), they were required to complete a further survey).
22.Landlords were asked what sort of property they rent out in Arun District:
Number/percent of all landlord respondents (Total 10)
Entire house (let to an individual family or person) – 0 (0%)
Shared house – 5 (50%)
Self-contained flat (– 5 (50%)
Shared flat (individuals share bathroom and/or kitchen facilities with other people) – 0 (0%)
Other – 0 (0%)
The responses indicate that half of the landlord respondents say they let out a shared house with four or more occupants and therefore could potentially fall into the proposed scheme definition if their rented properties are also within the proposed scheme wards.
23.Landlords who responded that they rented shared houses or flats were then asked how many people live in the property.
Number/percent of all landlord respondents (Total 5)
2 people – 0 (0%)
3 people - 0 (0%)
4 people – 2 (40%)
5 people – 0 (0%)
6 people – 1 (20%)
7 people – 1 (20%)
More than 7 people – 1 (20%)
24.Landlords were asked whether the shared house or flat that they rent out currently had a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence:
Number/percent landlord respondents who have shared houses (Total 4)
Yes – 3 (75%)
No – 1 (25%)
Don’t know – 0 (0%)
The single “No” response was in regard to a HMO with fewer than five persons, and thus does not currently require a mandatory HMO licence.
25.As a landlord renting out a property, have you had problems with any of the following issues? Respondents were able to choose as many as were applicable (and thus the number may be higher than the total of 10 landlord respondents):
Number/percent of all landlord respondents (Total 10)
Damp and disrepair – 1 (10%)
Overcrowding – 0 (0%)
Malicious damage caused by tenants – 4 (40%)
Rubbish and waste accumulations – 3 (30%)
Antisocial behaviour by tenant – 3 (30%)
Drug use by tenants – 3 (30%)
Other – 1 (10%)
None – 5 (50%)
As five out of the ten respondents (50%) stated that they had no problems, if the remaining figures are divided between the other five respondents, the percentage totals are double to the figures shown, for example the 1 response for damp and disrepair actually becomes 20 percent of the total responses and malicious damage caused by tenants actually becomes 80 percent of the total responses (again allowing for the fact that respondents could tick as many issues as they liked).
26.Respondents who replied “other” were able to provide additional information. Although only one answered “other” in the initial question, two respondents completed the follow-up question, and said:
“Poor home keeping – ventilation”
“Rubbish and waste are sometimes left by unknown residents at flats. When a tenant moves usually items are discarded outside and inside a property which we remove.”
27.Landlords were asked whether they were a member of a national landlord association?
Number/percent of all landlord respondents (Total 10)
Yes – (7) 70%
No – 3 (30%)
Landlords were asked whether they had heard of the Chichester and Arun Landlord Accreditation Scheme:
Number/percent of all landlord respondents (Total 10)
Yes – 8 (80%)
No – 2 (20%)
Landlords were asked whether they were registered on the Chichester and Arun Landlord Accreditation Scheme:
Number/percent of all landlord respondents (Total 10)
Yes – 2 (20%)
No – 8 (80%)
Landlords were asked whether they live or work in one of the wards proposed for the additional HMO licensing designation? (Total may be more than 10 as some landlords may work and live in a particular ward).
Yes – I live in River ward – 0%
Yes – I work in River ward – 10%
Yes – I live in Hotham ward – 20%
Yes – I work in Hotham ward – 10%
Yes – I live in Marine ward – 0%
Yes – I work in Marine ward - 0%
No – I don’t live or work in any of these – 70%
Managing agents/agents were asked the following questions relating to the rented properties the manage or let. (If managing agents wished to answer the survey as a resident, they were required to complete a separate survey).
As only one respondent identified themselves as a managing agent, it has to be assumed that each response where there is a total of more than 1 or there are multiple responses to the same question, means that all apply to that one individual agent, for example in question 31 below, each type of property has a single response and so it has to be deduced that the agent manages at least one of each type of these properties.
31.What sort of property do you manage in Arun District?
Number/percent of all managing agent respondents (Total 1)
Entire house () – 1 (25%)
Shared house () – 1 (25%)
Self-contained flat () – 1 (25%)
Shared flat (i) – 1 (25%)
Other – 1 (25%)
Although the figures represent 25% for each category, as it is based on one managing agent respondent, the figure for each sector could also be shown as 100% for each category as the answer to each is a positive one and is unlikely that each type of property is actually represented by an equal 25% share of the agent’s clients’ properties.
32.As a managing agent, have you had problems with any of the following issues? Respondents were able to choose as many as were applicable:
Number/percent of all managing agent respondents (Total 1)
Damp and disrepair – 0 (0%)
Overcrowding – 0 (0%)
Lack of heating – 0 (0%)
Lack of basic amenities (bath/shower, kitchen facilities, etc.) – 0 (0%)
Lack of safety measures – 0 (0%)
Dirty and poorly maintained communal stairs and hallways – 0 (0%)
Rubbish and waste accumulations – 0 (0%)
General lack of management and supervision – 0 (0%)
Lack of tenancy paperwork – 0 (0%)
Poor response to requests for repairs – 0 (0%)
Harassment and/or illegal eviction including pressure to leave without notice – 0 (0%)
Retaliatory eviction, for example, evicted after complaining of disrepair – 0 (0%)
Malicious damage by tenants – 0 (0%)
Drug use by tenants – 0 (0%)
Antisocial behaviour by tenants – 0 (0%)
Antisocial behaviour in the district – 1 (100%)
Other – 0 (0%)
None – 0 (0%)
Managing agents were asked whether they live or work in one of the wards proposed for the additional HMO licensing designation?
Number/percent of all managing agent respondents (Total 1)
Yes – I work in River ward – 0 (0%)
Yes – I work in Hotham ward – 1 (50%)
Yes – I work in Marine ward – 1 (50%)
No – I don’t work in any of these – 0 (0%)
As only one managing agent identified themselves as such, it can be deduced that the overall figures above can be stated as being 100% work in Hotham and Marine wards and the fifty percent split is entirely due to the way the question is posed.
Residents owning and living in their own property (“owner-occupier”) were asked the following questions relating to their property.
34.Which of the following applies to you in regard to a property within Arun District that you live in?
Number/percent of all owner-occupier respondents (Total 69)
Freehold house – 52 (75%)
Freehold flat – 1 (1.4%)
Leasehold flat – 14 (20.3%)
Shared ownership house or flat – 1 (1.4%)
Other – 1 (1.4%) (Other response = “A bungalow”)
Not applicable – 0 (0%)
Owner-occupiers were asked whether they live or work in one of the wards proposed for the additional HMO licensing designation?
Number/percent of all owner-occupier respondents (Total 69)
Yes – I live in River ward – 36 (52.2%)
Yes – I work in River ward – 1 (1.45%)
Yes – I live in Hotham ward – 10 (14.5%)
Yes – I work in Hotham ward – 2 (2.9%)
Yes – I live in Marine ward – 15 (21.7%)
Yes – I work in Marine ward – 2 (2.9%)
No – I don’t live or work in any of these – 8 (11.6%)
All respondents were asked a number of questions regarding the proposed additional HMO licensing scheme. The relevant part of the proposed scheme is included in the appendices to the survey results and feedback, where appropriate. All responses are out of 99 - the total number of respondents to the online survey (unless otherwise stated). Where “other” is stated this figure comprises managing agents and those that responded as “other” in the survey (6 respondents in total).
The overall response to each question from 99 respondents is shown below. In addition, the overall figure (99) has been broken down into the categories for each respondent type, and the highest number of positive/negative responses/percent for each response is shown highlighted in bold text (“don’t know”, “neither agree nor disagree” responses have not been highlighted if these are the highest score return for a question).
Note that some figures are rounded up/down to the nearest whole number where there is a percentage with a fraction of a total and so in some cases the totals may amount to just over or just under 100%.
36.Respondents were asked, thinking about the housing within Arun District as a whole, how much of a problem were each of the following on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest:
All respondents (99)
Overcrowding
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 14% 7% (1) 20% (2) 12% (8) 17% (1)
2 – 17% 14% (2) 10% (1) 9% (6) 33% (2)
3 – 9% 7% (1) 10% (1) 17% (12) 0% (0)
4 – 13% 7% (1) 10% (1) 15% (10) 17% (1)
5 More of an issue – 12% 21% (3) 0% (0) 26% (18) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 36% 42% (6) 50% (5) 21% (15) 33% (2)
Poor external appearance
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 10% 7% (1) 10% (1) 8% (6) 17% (1)
2 – 20% 28% (4) 20% (2) 16% (11) 17% (1)
3 – 26% 28% (4) 40% (4) 20% (14) 17% (1)
4 – 15% 0% (0) 20% (2) 22% (15) 17% (1)
5 More of an issue – 20% 14% (2) 0% (0) 32% (22) 33% (2)
Don’t know – 8% 21% (3) 10% (1) 1% (1) 0% (0)
Untidy gardens/yards
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
2 – 22% 28% (4) 10% (1) 16% (11) 33% (2)
3 – 30% 28% (4) 50% (5) 26% (18) 17% (1)
4 – 19% 0% (0) 20% (2) 24% (16) 33% (2)
5 More of an issue – 14% 14% (2) 0% (0) 26% (18) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 8% 21% (3) 10% (1) 1% (1) 0% (0)
Property disrepair
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 8% 7% (1) 0% (0) 7% (5) 17% (1)
2 – 26% 28% (4) 40% (4) 20% (14) 17% (1)
3 – 27% 21% (3) 30% (3) 21% (15) 34% (2)
4 – 14% 7% (1) 10% (1) 23% (16) 17% (1)
5 More of an issue – 17% 14% (2) 10% (1) 26% (18) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 8% 21% (3) 10% (1) 1% (1) 0% (0)
Flytipping
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 7% 7% (1) 10% (1) 10% (7) 0% (0)
2 – 16% 35% (5) 0% (0) 11% (8) 17% (1)
3 – 23% 14% (2) 10% (1) 17% (12) 50% (3)
4 – 12% 0% (0) 20% (1) 29% (20) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 30% 21% (3) 40% (4) 26% (18) 33% (2)
Don’t know – 12% 21% (3) 20% (2) 6% (4) 0% (0)
Refuse disposal
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 9% 21% (3) 0% (0) 16% (11) 0% (0)
2 – 27% 14% (2) 30% (3) 13% (9) 50% (3)
3 – 19% 7% (1) 30% (3) 20% (14) 17% (1)
4 – 20% 14% (2) 20% (2) 29% (20) 17% (1)
5 More of an issue – 18% 21% (3) 10% (1) 22% (14) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 8% 21% (3) 10% (1) 1% (1) 0% (0)
Drugs
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 5% 7% (1) 10% (1) 4% (3) 0% (0)
2 – 15% 14% (2) 20% (2) 9% (6) 17% (1)
3 – 20% 14% (2) 20% (2) 15% (10) 33% (2)
4 – 11% 7% (1) 20% (2) 16% (11) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 32% 21% (3) 10% (1) 45% (31) 50% (3)
Don’t know – 17% 35% (5) 20% (2) 12% (8) 0% (0)
Antisocial behaviour
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 7% 14% (2) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
2 – 14% 14% (2) 10% (1) 14% (10) 17% (1)
3 – 21% 14% (2) 20% (2) 17% (12) 33% (2)
4 – 18% 14% (2) 40% (4) 20% (14) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 27% 21% (3) 0% (0) 36% (25) 50% (3)
Don’t know – 11% 21% (3) 20% (2) 4% (3) 0% (0)
37.Respondents were then asked, thinking about the housing within the proposed additional HMO licensing scheme wards, how much of a problem were each of the following on a scale of 1-5 with 5 being the highest and 1 being the lowest:
River ward, Littlehampton
All respondents (99)
Overcrowding
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 9% 7% (1) 10% (1) 4% (3) 17% (1)
2 – 16% 14% (2) 10% (1) 6% (4) 33% (2)
3 – 5% 0% (0) 10% (1) 10% (7) 0% (0)
4 – 8% 7% (1) 10% (1) 16% (11) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 9% 7% (1) 0% (0) 14% (10) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 52% 64% (9) 60% (6) 49% (34) 33% (2)
Poor external appearance
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 12% 7% (1) 20% (2) 4% (3) 17% (1)
2 – 11% 21% (3) 0% (0) 7% (5) 17% (1)
3 – 22% 7% (1) 40% (4) 25% (17) 17% (1)
4 – 5% 0% (0) 0% (0) 19% (13) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 12% 0% (0) 0% (0) 14% (10) 33% (2)
Don’t know – 38% 64% (9) 40% (4) 30% (21) 17% (1)
Untidy gardens/yards
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 5% 7% (1) 10% (1) 4% (3) 0% (0)
2 – 21% 28% (4) 10% (1) 12% (8) 33% (2)
3 – 14% 0% (0) 20% (2) 20% (14) 17% (1)
4 – 10% 0% (0) 20% (2) 19% (13) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 16% 0% (0) 0% (0) 14% (10) 50% (3)
Don’t know – 34% 64% (9) 40% (4) 30% (21) 0% (0)
Property disrepair
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 11% 7% (1) 10% (1) 4% (3) 17% (1)
2 – 17% 14% (2) 30% (3) 9% ( 6) 17% (1)
3 – 12% 0% (0) 10% (1) 20% (14) 17% (1)
4 – 10% 14% (2) 10% (1) 16% ( 11) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 12% 0% (0) 0% (0) 16% (11) 33% (2)
Don’t know – 39% 64% (9) 40% (4) 35% (24) 17% (1)
Flytipping
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
2 – 16% 21% (3) 0% (0) 9% (6) 33% (2)
3 – 9% 7% (1) 0% (0) 10% (7) 17% (1)
4 – 7% 0% (0) 10% (1) 19% (13) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 20% 0% (0) 30% (3) 17% (12) 33% (2)
Don’t know – 42% 64% (9) 50% (5) 38% (26) 17% (1)
Refuse disposal
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 6% (4) 0% (0)
2 – 21% 21% (3) 0% (0) 12% (8) 50% (3)
3 – 6% 0% (0) 10% (1) 14% (10) 0% (0)
4 – 14% 0% (0) 20% (2) 20% (14) 17% (1)
5 More of an issue – 14% 7% (1) 20% (2) 13% (9) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 39% 64% (9) 40% (4) 35% (24) 17% (1)
Drugs
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 7% 7% (1) 20% (20) 3% (2) 0% (0)
2 – 8% 0% (0) 10% (10) 7% (5) 17% (1)
3 – 9% 14% (2) 0% (0) 7% (5) 17% (1)
4 – 11% 14% (2) 0% (0) 13% (9) 17% (1)
5 More of an issue – 26% 0% (0) 20% (20) 32% (22) 50% (3)
Don’t know – 38% 64% (9) 50% (50) 38% (26) 0% (0)
Antisocial behaviour
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 6% (4) 0% (0)
2 – 12% 14% (2) 10% (1) 7% (5) 17% (1)
3 – 15% 0% (0) 20% (2) 6% (4) 33% (2)
4 – 9% 21% (3) 0% (0) 14% (10) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 22% 0% (0) 10% (1) 30% (21) 50% (3)
Don’t know – 36% 57% (8) 50% (5) 36% (25) 0% (0)
Hotham ward, Bognor Regis
All respondents (99)
Overcrowding
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 10% 7% (1) 10% (1) 8% (6) 17% (1)
2 – 8% 14% (2) 0% (0) 3% (2) 17% (1)
3 – 4% 0% (0) 10% (1) 6% (4) 0% (0)
4 – 2% 7% (1) 0% (0) 3% (2) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 5% 0% (0) 10% (1) 10% (7) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 69% 71% (10) 70% (7) 70% (48) 66% (4)
Poor external appearance
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 10% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 17% (1)
2 – 11% 14% (2) 10% (1) 4% (3) 17% (1)
3 – 7% 7% (1) 10% (1) 9% (6) 0% (0)
4 – 4% 0% (0) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 6 % 0% (0) 0% (0) 9% (6) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 61% 71% (10) 60% (60) 64% (44) 50% (3)
Untidy gardens/yards
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
2 – 17% 21% (3) 10% (1) 4% (3) 33% (2)
3 – 7% 0% (0) 20% (2) 10% (7) 0% (0)
4 – 2% 0% (0) 0% (0) 7% (5) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 6% 0% (0) 0% (0) 7% (5) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 61% 71.4% (10) 60% (60) 64% (44) 50% (3)
Property disrepair
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 10% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 17% (1)
2 – 11% 14% (2) 10% (1) 4% (3) 17% (1)
3 – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
4 – 4% 0% (0) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 7% 0% (0) 0% (0) 10% (7) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 62% 72% (10) 60% (60) 64% (44) 50% (3)
Flytipping
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
2 – 13% 14% (2) 20% (2) 1% (1) 17% (1)
3 – 9% 7% (1) 0% (0) 12% (8) 17% (1)
4 – 4% 0% (0) 10% (1) 6% (4) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 2% 0% (0) 0% (0) 7% (5) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 84% 72% (10) 60% (6) 66% (46) 67% (4)
Refuse disposal
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 8% 14% (2) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
2 – 16% 14% (2) 10% (1) 7% (5) 33% (2)
3 – 5% 0% (0) 10% (1) 10% (7) 0% (0)
4 – 4% 0% (0) 10% (1) 4% (3) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 2% 0% (0) 0% (0) 9% (6) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 66% 72% (10) 60% (6) 64% (43) 67% (4)
Drugs
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 6% (4) 0% (0)
2 – 9% 7% (1) 10% (1) 3% (2) 17% (1)
3 – 12% 14% (2) 10% (1) 6% (4) 17% (1)
4 – 9% 7% (1) 10% (1) 3% (2) 17% (1)
5 More of an issue – 3% 0% (0) 0% (0) 13% (9) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 61% 64% (9) 60% (6) 70% (48) 50% (3)
Antisocial behaviour
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 5% 14% (2) 0% (0) 6% (4) 0% (0)
2 – 9% 7% (1) 10% (1) 3% (2) 17% (1)
3 – 12% 0% (0) 20% (2) 12% (8) 17% (1)
4 – 7% 14% (2) 10% (1) 3% (2) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 7% 0% (0) 0% (0) 12% (8) 17% (1)
Don’t know – 60% 64% (9) 60% (6) 64% (45) 50% (3)
Marine ward, Bognor Regis
All respondents (99)
Overcrowding
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 11% 7% (1) 10% (1) 9% (6) 17% (1)
2 – 11% 14% (2) 10% (1) 4% (3) 17% (1)
3 - 9% 28% (4) 0% (0) 9% (6) 0% (0)
4 – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 6% (4) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 0% (0) 16% (11) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 57% 36% (5) 70% (7) 56% (39) 66% (4)
Poor external appearance
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 10% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 17% (1)
2 – 17% 36% (5) 10% (1) 6% (4) 17% (1)
3 – 9% 14% (2) 10% (1) 12% (8) 0% (0)
4 – 14% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 33% (2)
5 More of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 0% (0) 16% (11) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 43% 28% (4) 60% (6) 52% (36) 33% (2)
Untidy gardens/yards
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 12% 14% (2) 10% (1) 9% (6) 17% (1)
2 – 15% 29% (4) 10% (1) 4% (3) 17% (1)
3 – 21% 21% (3) 20% (2) 12% (8) 33% (2)
4 – 2% 0% (0) 0% (0) 9% (6) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 5% 7% (1) 0% (0) 14% (10) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 44% 29% (4) 60% (6) 52% (36) 33% (2)
Property disrepair
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 12% 14% (2) 10% (1) 7% (5) 17% (1)
2 – 13% 21% (3) 10% (1) 6% (4) 17% (1)
3 – 10% 21% (3) 10% (1) 10% (7) 0% (0)
4 – 5% 0% (0) 10% (1) 9% (6) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 16% 14% (2) 0% (0) 16% (11) 33% (2)
Don’t know – 44% 29% (4) 60% (6) 52% (36) 33% (2)
Flytipping
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 13% 14% (2) 10% (1) 12% (8) 17% (1)
2 – 13% 21% (3) 10% (1) 3% (2) 17% (1)
3 – 8% 14% (2) 10% (1) 9% (6) 0% (0)
4 – 4% 0% (0) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 7% 14% (2) 0% (0) 16% (11) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 55% 36% (5) 60% (6) 54% (37) 66% (4)
Refuse disposal
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 13% 14% (2) 10% (1) 10% (7) 17% (1)
2 – 17% 36% (5) 10% (1) 7% (5) 17% (1)
3 – 7% 7% (1) 10% (1) 12% (8) 0% (0)
4 – 6% 7% (1) 10% (1) 7% (5) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 4% 7% (1) 0% (0) 10% (7) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 53% 29% (4) 60% (6) 54% (37) 66% (4)
Drugs
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 12% 14% (2) 10% (1) 6% (4) 17% (1)
2 – 13% 21% (3) 10% (1) 3% (2) 17% (1)
3 – 16% 21% (3) 0% (0) 10% (7) 33% (2)
4 – 10% 14% (2) 20% (2) 6% (4) 0% (0)
5 More of an issue – 6% 7% (1) 0% (0) 19% (13) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 42% 21% (3) 60% (6) 56% (39) 33% (2)
Antisocial behaviour
All respondents (99) Tenants (14) Landlords (10) Owner-occupiers (69) Others (6)
1 Less of an issue – 10% 14% (2) 0% (0) 9% (6) 17% (1)
2 – 15% 29% (4) 10% (1) 4% (3) 17% (1)
3 – 9% 7% (1) 20% (2) 9% (6) 0% (0)
4 – 17% 14% (2) 10% (1) 10% (7) 33% (2)
5 More of an issue – 5% 7% (1) 0% (0) 15% (10) 0% (0)
Don’t know – 44% 29% (4) 60% (6) 54% (37) 33% (2)
38.Respondents were asked, based on their experience or opinion, whether they thought that private landlords within the district maintain their properties to a good standard?
Number/percent of respondents:
“Yes” response:
All respondents (99) - 24 (23.5%)
Tenants (14) – 4 (28.8%)
Landlords (10) – 8 (80%)
Owner-occupiers (69) – 8 (11.6%)
Other (6) – 0 (0%)
“No” response:
All respondents (99) - 55 (55%)
Tenants (14) – 5 (35.7%)
Landlords (10) – 1 (10%)
Owner-occupiers (69) – 45 (65.2%)
(Other (6) – 3 (50%)
“Don’t know” response:
All respondents (99) - 21 (21.4%)
Tenants (14) – 5 (35.7%)
Landlords (10) – 1 (10%)
Owner-occupiers (69) – 16 (23.2%)
Other (6) – 3 (50%)
If a respondent answered “no” to this question they were able to provide additional details.
Tenant responses
“We are lucky that our own property at XXXXX Court, is fairly well maintained, but other HMO, in our area look very poor externally. They may have overflowing bins, accumulation of discarded items such as settees in external areas.”
Properties look in poor condition”
“Houses look ill-kept with visible damage to exterior.”
“I only know about my block of flats. There is no cleaning or maintenance of the communal areas. The internal lighting has had a problem with the timeswitch for about two years. The front door jams or the lock doesn't secure properly at times. No-one from landlords or agents comes near save for annual inspections.”
“I have moved around littkehampton [sic] and i have reason to dispute tge [sic]standards of kandlords [sic] past and present in various places. Mine is quite good, but i appreciate that more works need doing at a greater cost to many properties than are possible I imagine. Some local landlords are reprehensible.”
Landlord responses
“I have been into various properties where the conditions are sub standard.”
“Gardens tend to be untidy often with refuse outside. There is insufficient space for wheelie bins and car parking.”
“There are many converted properties in the area that house multiple occupants, the buildings are in disrepair, rubbish is frequent, drinking on the street in these areas is also a problem.”
“Don’t think they get repairs done.”
Drive down XXXXXXX Avenue where pretty much every house is an HMO or flats and look at the state of them.”
“Look at XXXXXXXX, Another HMO eyesore.”
“Damp, decoration, repairs”
Owner-occupier responses
“Poorly fitting windows, damp and mould, poor external appearance, rubbish left”
“Some, not all of the flats in local area look run down on the exterior with overgrown gardens and rubbish in sight (more than weekly waste).“
“Why would they? They want to make money only.”
“Tenants take no responsibilty. Homeowners have to endure anti-social behaviour on behalf of landlords. Landlords need to be made vicariously liable and own their tenants behaviour.”
“Several properties with rubbish dumped in the front yard. Doors and windows in disrepair.”
“experience of HMO at XXXX Road, always rubbish out front and back, house in dis repair and landlord not interested”
Lots clearly don't care what their properties look like”
“Too many sub lettings and multiple bins outside houses”
“Exterior paintwork often in poor standard, flytipping of rubbish in the gardens by tenants goes untreated.”
“Untidy, disrepair, rubbish and discarded furniture.”
“They all do the bare minimum.”
“HMO opposite has not been decorated on the outside for many years, the front garden is a mess as is the side passage with slight viewing access to garden which seems to be full of rubbish. Dread to think about the inside as private pest control teams visit regularly for various issues including bed bugs when mattresses are removed. Male tenant from bottom right flat as you look at the front urinates in right hand alcove in public view as do his male visitors.”
“They don't care about property only cara [sic] about profit”
“One house in the next street to where I live was "over-let" (I checked this with the estate agent when it was finally sold) and it was in an appalling state of repair. Now its very nice, but it seems it has been easy for some landlords to behave in a very irresponsible way. Have also read of problems in local paper.”
“In our street alone we have at least four HMOs. All of them are untidy and have constant visits from the police, ambulance and council.”
“XXXXXX IS EXAMPLE. ASBESTOS AT ROOF LEVEL. Inadequate roof guttering and narrow down pipes lead to blockages causing overflow onto brickwork and communal entrance @ground floor level. Consequently most of 14 flats have damp & mould internally. Managing Agents ignored previous requests stating building regulations.. built in 1960’s-70’s/ Mix of mostly renters fear complaining in case of eviction notice. One neighbour found impossible to get hold of Letting Agent. Tier of command is ‘buck-passing’ on maintenance issues.Ie renter only supposed to contact Letting Agent who may,,,eventually contact leaseholder.. who may, or may not contact Managing Agents. Free holder of block reaps regards but is ghostly & unknown!!”
“Mainly observational. You can see the poorly maintained properties in my area.”
“I often see rental accommodation buildings in Bognor in complete decay.”
“They don't care what. Type of tenants they have.”
“Judging by the fridge/freezer simply dumped onto the pavement (nearby) and kicked about. Then the placing of unwanted and left over items from the tenancy also on the kerb with a simple sign saying "free to collect", I think this answers everything.”
“The properties show a lack of investment in maintenance, properties look 'run down' and if repairs are made they can be a botch job.”
“Unkempt front gardens with rubbish strewn. External areas badly maintained.”
“homes in the area I reside have issues with damp, mould.”
“Once they put tenants in their properties they do not maintain them.”
“External appearance appears poor.”
“The neighbour's house was unsightly from the outside, as well as unkempt hedges and gardens.”
“Regarding my immediate HMO’s, landlords don’t ever attend property, most don’t even live locally.”
“Poor external maintenance and upkeep.”
“I am an owner occupier and also a landlord owner for a residential property in Hotham. There is a great deal of scruffy property in the area, some of which is rental property, some of which may be privately owned. There are also rental properties that are kept neat and tidy.”
“I don’t have personal experience of this area but in the experience I do have of landlords they are often absent and those that are not absent have little interest or incentive to maintain their properties to a good standard and are only interested in the income they can generate.”
“My mother privately rents a flat in river ward which is not really fit for habitation. Windows are draughty and blown, multiple plug sockets do not work, holes in ceiling, no central or storage heaters, no security on front door... Private landlord does not want to know, or spend any money to improve property.”
“The outside area of my property is a builders yard not quite the seating area as sold”
“Many of the landlords have a large 'portfolio' of properties. It seems they only care about the income from the property and not the property itself. The same applies to Estate Agents, they do not do periodic checks and if there is a problem they sweep it under the carpet!!”
“No. 45 next to us is privately owned and in a very poor state of repair and has a pile of mixed refuse in the rear garden. The window in the front door was smashed last year and hasn't been replaced, the front garden is litter strewn and overgrown. We understand from tenants that the kitchen and toilet are in a very poor and unhygienic state. No 41 is operated by XXXXXX and is in a very poor state of repair. It is currently let out to a family with young children for £700 a week and yet no external work has been carried out since we have lived at our current address. Internally, flooring and wall surfaces are dirty and there are substantial gaps between floorboards and skirting. some rooms are damp. There is a hazardous brick wall between this property and no 39 which is in danger of collapse. Many other properties in this road are badly affected by damp.”
“I have seen multiple rented properties with shabby exteriors, unkept gardens and junk left in the gardens.”
“I have heard very bad things about properties in Bayford Road and on South Terrace/seafront area, properties in disrepair, landlords who do not care. Some obviously privately rented properties in the area look in very poor repair, with rubbish piled outside them for years.”
“Generally poor maintenance of fronts of premises including front gardens used to store refuse bins. One 'studio flat' I visited was poorly decorated the shower was poorly maintained and heating radiator was falling off the wall and leaking. There is no facility to dispose of obsolete white goods, mattresses, beds and other items of furniture so they end up in the front gardens, or left on the pathway both rear and front of the premises. In order to answer this question fully I would need access to all rented property in the River Ward.”
“Houses let in state of disrepair. Gardens neglected. One house that I have personally seen, the interior is damp and mouldy, lighting neglected and skirting boards rotted and removed leaving holes. Roof tiles missing resulting in birds nesting in roof. Bins left on the pavement and overflowing.”
“Other” respondent responses
“Many of the HMOs I see daily are in the queen street area Arundel Road. They are always unkempt with furniture and waste constantly in front gardens despite continuous complaints nothing is every addressed properly. Tenents [sic] move in and out on a great frequency and just dump their furniture on the street or in the garden. This then gradually gets dragged around the streets and broken up and strewn around making the whole area look like a dump. This is never addressed and despite landlords being required to ensure they manage this they never do and the council does nothing. If you phone and complain the council just send a van and pick up the dumped fridge or the like at the taxpayers expense. This is not a solution the landlords need to be held to account and closed down if they dont manage the property properly within the government requirements.”
“Houses with tenants are scruffy and rundown. The gardens and surrounding areas are full of rubbish. The local area in river ward feels unsafe, mainly due to residents of HMOs.”
“They don't do routine maintenance. They don't fix things very quickly.”
39.Respondents were asked whether they thought that properties within River ward, Littlehampton and Hotham and Marine wards in Bognor Regis are better or more poorly maintained than those within the district as a whole?
Number/percent of respondents:
“Better maintained” response:
All respondents (99) – 9 (9%)
Tenants (14) – 1 (7.1%)
Landlords (10) – 2 (20%)
Owner-occupiers (69) – 4 (5.8%)
Other (6) – 1 (16.6%)
“More poorly maintained” response:
All respondents (99) – 29 (29.6%)
Tenants (14) – 4 (28.5%)
Landlords (10) – 0 (0%)
Owner-occupiers (69) – 30 (43.4%)
Other (6) – 3 (50%)
“Don’t know” response:
All respondents (99) – 61 (61.2%)
Tenants (14) – 9 (64.2%)
Landlords – 8 (80%)
Owner-occupiers (69) 35 (50.7%)
Other (6) – 2 (33.3%)
40.Respondents were asked whether they thought that private landlords act responsibly in letting, managing and maintaining their properties within the district?
Number/percent of respondents:
“Yes” response:
All respondents (99) – 23.5%
Tenants (14) – 3 (21.4%)
Landlords (10) – 8 (80%)
Owner-occupiers (69) – 9 (13%)
Other (6) – 3 (50%)
“No” response:
All respondents (99) – 50%
Tenants (14) – 2 (14.2%)
Landlords (10) – 1 (10%)
Owner-occupiers (69) – 44 (64%)
Other (6) – 2 (33.3%)
“Don’t know” response:
All respondents (99) – 26.5%
Tenants (14) – 9 (64%)
Landlords (10) – 1 (10%)
Owner-occupiers (69) – 16 (23%)
Other (6) – 1 (16.6%)
If a respondent answered “no” to this question they were able to provide additional details. These are shown below:
Tenant responses
“See my answer to question 22, regarding items left for weeks in front gardens, overflowing bins etc.”
“Properties not looked after in general.”
Landlord responses
“I have seen evidence of overcrowding, unlicensed houses, greedy landlords taking advantage.
Owner-occupier responses
“Overcrowding and poor state of repair.”
“Looking at the local examples as previously mentioned.”
“Don’t think they get repairs done.”
“The owner of XXXXX has on several occasions failed to provide sufficient bins for all the residents which has resulted in waste being left strewn on the pavement for the elderly to negotiate. On one occasion, they left a load of asbestos sheets kerbside for over a week.”
“In most instances, the landlord just wants the money. They do not care what the residents who have invested into their home are left to look at.”
“Not contactable, taking a long time to respond to urgent needs.”
“Private landlords in HMO properties just try to squeeze in as many lets as they can in single properties this brings the wrong sort of residents into the town causes an imbalance and spoils the town driving people away. Additional liucensing [sic] will only help if it reduces the number of HMO's there should be no more we have too many. Landlords of non HMO properties are not an issue.”
“They abuse the system taking in tax payer money and don’t provide a good service.”
“By the number of planning applications, all they want is income. Whole properties need to be taxed differently again.”
“Local residents tell me that management agencies for larger rented properties are very slow to respond to residents concerns.”
“The landlord of the HMO in our road is involved in a lot of the issues.”
“Judging by the outside of most of the HMO properties, I would say they don't care.”
“The appearance is appalling with no pride taken.”
“As previously answered - HMO's are largely blighting our neighbourhoods, and causing anti-social issues.”
“As soon as the landlords take over a property they usually become an eyesore and often a hub for drug use and antisocial behaviour.”
“In my experience the landlords show no interest until they stop receiving the rent money or they find out the property is being abused / damaged. XXXXX Road, XXXX Road, XXX road.”
“In our case the Landlord employed a Russian lady to supply tenants and manage the flats doing no quality repairs or work, just bodging.”
“They don't care.”
“Some landlords will always try and get away with poor standards but its not fair to say that all are like that. There needs to be a much better system of accountability, checking and punishment for those who break what should be the Law.”
“One landlord on our street at number XXXXX Road lets anyone stay there. In the past week we’ve had a potential rapper [sic], an assault over a stolen mobile phone and a tenant watching children in their garden.”
“Exemplified in my answer at Q.14. (“XXXXXX IS EXAMPLE. ASBESTOS AT ROOF LEVEL. Inadequate roof guttering and narrow down pipes lead to blockages causing overflow onto brickwork and communal entrance @ground floor level. Consequently most of 14 flats have damp & mould internally. Managing Agents ignored previous requests stating building regulations.. built in 1960’s-70’s/ Mix of mostly renters fear complaining in case of eviction notice. One neighbour found impossible to get hold of Letting Agent. Tier of command is ‘buck-passing’ on maintenance issues.Ie renter only supposed to contact Letting AGent who may,,,eventually contact leaseholder.. who may, or may not contact Managing Agents. Free holder of block reaps regards but is ghostly & unknown!!”). Tardy buck passing. Higher charges for poor so-called repairs made over past 2 years and no remediation of bigger issue of overflowing narrow gutterings, blocking of narrow down pipes and no inspection for damp and mould internally of flats -14 .. all 1 bedroom. 4 flats at top level are studio flats. 3 floor Brick exterior block but built on concrete in 1960’s 70’s. This would not be allowed in Germany.”
“Difficult to answer the question as I am sure the majority of private landlords maintain their properties adequately. However there is clear observational evidence that a minority do not.
Within XXXXX Rd I feel that once let the landlord has difficulty in evicting unsuitable tenants due to the length of court proceedings & bailiffs arriving. With planning permission in place on all HMOs , local residents being consulted, residents would feel more involved & Arun Council could maintain partnership working with landlords to the satisfaction of local communities.”
“Lots of anti social tenants and lots of tenants in same house.”
“See answer to question 15. Also, seeing the roof on a building opposite me disintegrate slowly and with the estate agents informed but not bothered, and with another property on the street (certainly until recently) having water running down the inside walls regularly, I think I am justified.”
“Many landlords do act responsibly but those that have not tend to stand out more and overshadow the good ones. there are many examples of poorly maintained HMO's with problem tenants around and they tend to dominate opinion. The good ones tend to be unnoticed.”
“The problem is lack of knowledge who is actually residing in this properties.”
“I am sure some do but I feel many are absent/ living away landlords.”
“Little concern for anti social behaviour, drug abuse and property maintenance.”
“Assume that no tenants' references are taken as to who is allowed to live there.”
Refer to previous answer” (“Regarding my immediate HMO’s, landlords don’t ever attend property, most don’t even live locally.”)
“neighbors [sic] landlord left tenant without heating for 6 weeks in middle of winter, garden wall fell down and landlord took 2 years to rectify.”
“Outside houses (front ‘gardens/yard full of rubbish. Window sills in disrepair, loud music”
“It is a mixed picture. Many landlords do maintain the properties well, but within Hotham there seem to be a large number who do not.”
“As far as I know or can tell some do but most don’t. If they did there would not be the problem there is and which you are trying to do something about. I think this is a national problem.”
“Answered above - no responsibility for elderly or otherwise) tenants who end up spending more on heating as property windows and doors etc are not up to an economical standard.”
“many private landlords have never visited nor maintained their property in our area, I cannot comment on other areas.”
“Poor or non existent maintenance, overcrowding, tolerance of anti social behaviour amongst tenants. No support provided to tenants with severe substance abuse and mental health needs.(This is, of course, also a reflection of the Authorities placing people in this unsupervised and unmonitored provision.)”
“In my experience I have been disturbed by a HMO tenant being arrested, only to have that tenant come back and cause the same issues in the same HMO. This means the landlords are not considering the impact problem tenants may have on the surrounding residents. I feel there is a real issue with landlords concentrating problem tenants in the same building.”
“Landlords are allowing people with clear drug and alcohol-related problems to rent their properties with no regard for the surrounding areas.”
“See above. This is exploitation of people in difficulties and a money making exercise at the expense of the local authority.”