What’s in store for HMOs?

For a while, HMOs—and their higher yields—have been landlords’ best friend. But with tax and regulation changes on the horizon, could these cast a dark cloud over this sector? Five industry experts share their views

Words by Andreea Dulgheru

The NRLA has been campaigning for a long time for the government to address issues created by the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) so we are incredibly pleased that it is proposing to charge a single council tax for HMOs. Adopting a ‘room-by-room’ approach can only lead to increasing costs for landlords, and therefore increased rents for tenants. To have a landlord paying a single council tax on such a property is a fair and consistent approach.