Clause 5 - Houses in multiple occupation
Home Energy Conservation Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Harold Best (Leeds North West, Labour)
I hear what the hon. Gentleman says, and it causes me to reassert my observation that he seeks to maintain the status quo. I understand why he might want to do that, because he seems to have a close affinity with landlords.
I take on board the hon. Gentleman's point that there is a problem with regard to the accommodation of large numbers of students. I am pleased to say that Lord Falconer visited my constituency on Friday 15 February to examine the nature and effect of the degeneration that results from the kind of abusive use of traditional family housing stock that we are experiencing. He was surprised to see the detrimental effect that that had had on what was a highly desirable residential area, and how seriously damaging it is, because of the change of use. There is seasonal use of properties; it is like living in a seaside town. Local businesses benefit intermittently, depending on how many students are present at any given time. There is not a fixed number of people consistently living in the area. The student body is permanently changing at Leeds, as it is at other universities. At Leeds, one third of students roll over each year. Therefore, there is a constant change of tenancies inside buildings, which leads to degeneration of their interiors, and of the neighbourhood. That can also be extremely damaging to the health and safety of the tenants.
It is a measure of the desirability of these properties, and the profit margins that are available, that while the average price of properties in Leeds rose by 60 per cent. between 1995 and 2001—pretty much the average
across the United Kingdom—in Headingley it went up by 90 per cent. That shows the healthy profit margin made from the grotesque misuse of housing stock for traditional family use. However, it is not that which brings me to my feet as much as the threat to the safety of those who live in those circumstances. Opposition Members may not believe me when I say that from my house I can see the bolts on the doors in the house opposite. I am happy to show them from my window. It would be bad enough if that were a unique example, but we know that it is not. The hon. Member for South Norfolk (Mr. Bacon) agrees that there are some problems with the issue, and I have heard him say so before. I have to acknowledge that there are some first-class landlords in the area. They are brilliant. They have been in the family business for years or decades. They know how to take care of properties, and they do not allow that kind of practice.