Belfast City Council has made a watershed decision to refuse a Stranmillis landlord’s HMO licence renewal, on the grounds of anti social behaviour.
At the council’s Licensing Committee on Wednesday (March 16), elected members for the first time showed their teeth and refused a HMO licence renewal for 179 Stranmillis Road, after looking at a litany of evidence alleging regular anti-social behaviour from student tenants in the semi detached dwelling.
Since receiving powers from the 2016 Houses in Multiple Occupation Act Belfast City Council has not refused a single HMO renewal application until now. However elected representatives at the council Licensing Committee had become increasingly worried that they were merely “rubber-stamping” existing licences for landlords.
