How will Article 4 affect you?

Yesterday, on Monday January 25th the City of Lincoln Council’s Executive approved the measures, giving the Authority more control over the location and density of Houses in Multiple Occupation. Known as the Article 4 direction. The big question on everyone’s mind is how will this effect the student property market within Lincoln?

WHAT TO DO?
If you currently own a HMO / student property you are asked to fill out the Council’s declaration form which can be found here.

Any property let to students as a HMO before March 1st 2016 which has been declared will not require planning permission for change of us.

If you are planning to purchase a property for investment in the student market, you must apply for a change of use planning application. A typical change of use application carries a £385 fee (for properties larger than 5 bedrooms or over 2 stories a HMO licence is still required, and required to be renewed every 5 years).

 

HOW MUCH WILL IT COST?
The main thought on landlords minds when hearing about the Article 4 direction was ‘how much will this cost?’. There were fears fees could be as high as they are in Nottingham whose Council has them set at £1,100. The City of Lincoln advised us that a change of use application is required to be compliant with Article 4 (for properties which are used as HMO’s AFTER March 1st 2016, and haven’t previously been used as such) will cost a one off charge of £385

If you would like more information on how Article 4 will affect your property within Lincoln. Please call us at Student Housing Lincoln on 01522 410 646 for more information and free advice.