Welcome to the Website
of the
NOTTINGHAM ACTION GROUP ON HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION
 

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THE NAG
WHO ♦ WHAT ♦ WHY ♦ HOW?
 


“We are the music-makers,
And we are the dreamers of dreams, ...
... Yet we are the movers and shakers,
Of the world forever, it seems.”

[Arthur O’Shaughnessy, Poems of Arthur O’Shaughnessy]

We are residents living in neighbourhoods from across a large part of the City of Nottingham (Sherwood, The Arboretum, Hyson Green, Radford, The Park, Lenton, Dunkirk, The Meadows, Wollaton Park, Wollaton, Lenton Abbey), and also in Beeston and West Bridgford.

Although our neighbourhoods are as different from one another as we are, what they have in common are the problems caused by increasing concentrations of so-called 'Houses in Multiple Occupation' (HMOs) - shared houses with absentee landlords and short-term, highly transient tenants.

What we have in common is the feeling that as individual residents we run the risk of having little or no say in what primarily local and national government, our higher education establishments, developers, investors, and others are planning and doing, even though their decisions directly affect us and the future of the neighbourhoods in which we live. As individuals we feel we have little or no voice. However, we believe that coming together as a group gives us a voice.

In February 2004, we did get together and formed the Nottingham Action Group on HMOs – the NAG – not a nice name, but appropriate. What has been happening to our neighbourhoods is not nice for those who live in them, or for their futures, and we are ready to nag and keep on nagging to get things done.

Whilst we cannot change what has happened, perhaps we too can become not just the 'dreamers of dreams' but also the 'movers and shakers', and, by influencing what may be going to happen, so help shape the future of our neighbourhoods.

For the NAG that future needs to be neighbourhoods that are resilient, balanced and sustainable, and where people feel happy to put down roots and contribute to the future of the City of Nottingham as a whole. In other words:

‘... places where people want to live and work and learn, now and in the future. ...'



WHAT IS A HOUSE IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION (HMO)?
 

An HMO is often also known as a 'shared house'. Put as simply as possible, an HMO is a building, or part of a building, occupied as a main residence by more than one household where a 'household' can be one person or several people provided that they are related to one another. So, for example, a home is probably an HMO if 

•three or more unrelated people live there as at least two separate households, and

•the people living there share the same amenities such as a kitchen and/or bathroom.

For more information about HMOs and about legislation relating to HMOs, we suggest you take a look at these websites:

http://www.hmolobby.org.uk

http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/HMO 

Also, Nottingham City Council publish a regularly up-dated Register of Licensed HMOs, which can be downloaded by following the links in: 

http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/housing/private-sector-housing/houses-in-multiple-occupation-hmo/licensing-of-houses-in-multiple-occupation/


REPORT A ROGUE LANDLORD

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If you want advice or help relating to the condition and management of your privately rented property

Visit:
www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/article/29046/Report-a-rogue-landlord-or-problem-with-your-private-rented-property
E-Mail: environmental.health@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
Telephone: 0115 915-2020 (Option 4)
Write to: Environmental Health, Community Protection, Nottingham City Council, Loxley House,
Station Street, Nottingham NG2 3NG


FOR YOUR DIARY
 

NAG MEETINGS & EVENTS

January 2018 NAG Open Meeting: Notes of Meeting Now Available

Notes of this meeting, held on Friday, 26 January 2018, are available to read and to download when you open this page.


NATIONAL, NOTTINGHAM & NEIGHBOURHOOD: MEETINGS, EXHIBITIONS, CONSULTATIONS & EVENTS

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government Consultation on the Draft Revised National Planning Policy Framework

On 5 March 2018 the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government published the Draft Revised National Planning Policy Framework which seeks views on proposals to change planning policy legislation to bring forward more land in the right places. The consultation is open to all, and closes at 11.45 pm on Thursday 10 May 2018.


NEIGHBOURHOOD: PARLIAMENTARY CONSTITUENCY ADVICE,
WARD MEETINGS, WARD WALKS & WARD EVENTS

Nottingham East Constituency: Contact information for Chris Leslie MP.
Nottingham South Constituency: Contact and constituency advice surgery information for Lilian Greenwood MP.

Dunkirk & Lenton Ward (D&L): Ward Walk: Wednesday 9 May 2018, 9.30 am, Dunkirk area, meet at Dunkirk Community Centre, Montpelier Road. Residents' Meeting: Tuesday 8 May 2018, 5.30 pm, the Lenton Centre.

Wollaton East & Lenton Abbey Ward (WELA): Ward Walk: Monday 23 April 2018, 10.00 am to 11.00 am, Lenton Abbey Park, Woodside Road, meet at Lenton Abbey Park by the Pavilion. Wollaton Park Residents' Association Open Meeting, Wednesday 18 April 2018, 7.00 pm, Wollaton Park Community Centre, Harrow Road.


NEWS DESK
 


NATIONAL NEWS

Government Proposes Crackdown on 'Rogue' Estate Agents

BBC News on-line reported on Sunday 8 April 2018 that all estate agents will be required to hold a professional qualification under new government rules to crack down on 'rogue' operators.

Crackdown on 'Rogue' Landlords: Banning Orders and National Database Implemented

Friday 6 April 2018: 'rogue' landlords who rent out sub-standard properties face being forced out of the sector as new banning orders are brought in and a national database of offenders goes live today.

More Tinkering With The Planning Process Will Not Build More Homes

On Tuesday 6 March 2018, the Planning Officers Society News carried a first response to the Government's plans published in its Draft Revised National Planning Policy Framework which is open for comment until 11.45 on Thursday 10 May 2018

"The Planning System is Working Well And Is Not A Barrier to Building"

On Sunday 4 March 2018, the Local Government Association (LGA) responded to the new planning laws for councils: "The truth is that councils are currently approving nine in 10 planning applications, which shows that the planning system is working well and is not a barrier to building."

 

NOTTINGHAM NEWS

Property Management Company Fined After Admitting Failings

In March 2018 ADKAM CIC (Community Interest Company) was fined £1000 with costs of £836 and a £100 victim surcharge by Nottingham Magistrates Court for failure to comply with the Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations.

Government Gives the Green Light to Nottingham's New Private Rented Sector Housing Licensing Scheme

A press release from Nottingham City Council (Tuesday 13 February 2018) has confirmed that Government has given approval for the city to go ahead with a new private rented sector housing licensing scheme which will give tenants in the private rented sector better quality accommodation and greater protection from rogue landlords.

Nottingham Student Vets Win £5000 to Carry on Work with Homeless People's Pets

David Pittam (Nottingham Post Friday 9 February 2018) reported that students from Nottingham University's Veterinary School have received a £5000 grant to help with their project to provide health checks, vaccinations and treatment to the pets of homeless people in Nottingham.

Student's City Centre 'Prank' Results in a £345 Bill

The Nottingham Post on Saturday 23 December 2017 reported that a student's night out ended up with her jumping on the roof of a council van and kneeing a worker in the groin. Nottingham Magistrates said 'We are not impressed by this behaviour ... .' and fined her £345.

 

NEIGHBOURHOOD NEWS

Government Gives Green Light for Council to Continue Fighting Letting Board Plague

In the summer of 2017, Nottingham City Council applied to Government for permission to continue operating controls over letting boards in designated parts of the city. This permission has now been given and will be in place for the next five years, so preventing a return to 'Nottingham's Forest of Letting Boards'

Developer Loses Appeal to Build Student Accommodation on Red Cross Site, Lenton

When Nottingham City Council rejected an application to build student accommodation on the former Red Cross site, the developer appealed to the Planning Inspectorate. The Inspectorate has rejected the appeal.

Arboretum Residents' Lives Affected by Student House Parties

Hannah Mitchell, writing in the Nottingham Post (Friday 3 November 2017) reported the Arboretum Residents and Tenants' Association has complained about house parties and their effect on the lives of local families.


UNIVERSITY CORNER
 

NOTTINGHAM TRENT COMMUNITY STATISTICS & RESPONSE RATE

At the meeting facilitated by the NAG on 26 January 2018, Nottingham Trent University presented its community statistics and response rates for the period from September 2017 to 26 January 2018. The university will be providing up-dated community statistics and response rates for each term of the academic year, and in future these will be available for download here, starting with the one presented at the meeting.

 September 2017 to January 2018


ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS & DISCLAIMER
 

The Nottingham Action Group on HMOs wishes to thank: Nottingham City Council for funding support; everyone whose contributions (photographs, ideas, articles, work) form part of this website; and Magneto Technologies Ltd (http://magnetoweb.com) for the expertise which has enabled us to set up and maintain this website.

Last, but by no means least, we also thank our neighbours in the National HMO Lobby for their continuing help and support.

The views and opinions expressed in contributions to this website do not necessarily reflect those of the Nottingham Action Group on HMOs, its committee, or its wider membership.

Whilst endeavouring to ensure that reports are accurate, from time to time mistakes may occur. If you feel this is the case, please contact the Nottingham Action Group on HMOs. Information on how to do so is available on the 'Contact Us' page of this website.

©2018 The Nottingham Action Group

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