Hundreds sign Portsmouth petition after landlord gets 'caught out' with illegal HMO in Hilsea

Over the past 12 months, dozens of applications have been reviewed by the city council for houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs).

These HMOs allow three or more people who aren't from the same family to live under one roof with shared facilities, such as kitchens and bathrooms.

HMOs have proven popular in Portsmouth because they allow people to live more cheaply - a particular attraction given the increased cost of living.

But a planning application heard by councillors on Wednesday revealed an illegal HMO had been causing chaos for Hilsea residents.

The retrospective application for 10 Rampart Gardens came after neighbours discovered roughly half a dozen taxi drivers using the property as a base of operations.

These taxi drivers have been allegedly harassing their neighbours, with complaints of abuse, anti-social behaviour and verbal threats of violence.

One resident, who did not wish to be named, gave her account of recent events.

She said: 'We were led to believe that the home we were buying was next door to a family, so imagine our surprise at finding an illegal HMO.

'We tried to be civil, but were met with aggression - we have dealt with damage to our property, verbal abuse and the blocking of our driveway. I don't feel safe living next to this house with such abusive individuals.

'We moved here to start a family, but our lives have been put on hold by this ordeal.'

A petition from residents garnered around 200 signatures from the surrounding community in Rampart Gardens, Military Road, Peronne Road and more.

The application was for the property to become a four-bedroom HMO, but councillors noted the house has been set up to accommodate more than that, with locals describing the property as a makeshift taxi depot.

Conservative ward councillor for Hilsea, Councillor Daniel Wemyss, said: 'For many years this has been running as an illegal HMO and the letting agent even advertised it as such - the landlord clearly knew about this and was happy to take the money until they got caught out.

'I have photographs of at least five cars operating from this property, as well as various boats being parked on the driveway.

'The store room is also being used as a bedroom; there's a bloody bed in there right now.'

Fellow Conservative ward councillor, Cllr Scott Payter-Harris, added: 'It's clear that there's already more than four people living here - the application changes are purely technical.

'To call it a residential dispute is disrespectful to the community and to the hundreds of people objecting to this application.'

Independent member for Hilsea, Cllr Russell Simpson, said neighbours have been voicing their frustrations for months.

'During my election campaign this HMO came up over and over again,' he said.

'They have no consideration for their neighbours and when confronted they become aggressive.

'It has spoiled a traditional family area and approving this adds fuel to an already raging bonfire.'

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Through their agent, Jonathan McDermott of Town Planning Experts, the landlord pleaded ignorance to the house being used as an HMO.

'The property can only occupy four persons,' he said.

'The enforcement team told us the property had been sublet without the knowledge of my client.

'I can assure members that this is an application for a four-bedroom HMO.'

The planning application was voted down by members.

Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Cllr Gerald Vernon-Jackson, urged people with similar concerns about properties near them to speak out.

He said: 'If people are having problems with noise or anti-social behaviour then I urge them to call the police on 111 and call the city council - it develops a record that we're able to look at so we can find any patterns that emerge.

'This is a completely open and shut case. The way this has been managed is an egregious ignoring of a previous planning decision.'

An additional planning decision was heard for a HMO in Oriel Road, Hilsea, capable of housing six people.

This application was approved by councillors, although they described their decision as being 'regrettable'.