South and East Belfast Sinn Féin -- Building an Ireland of Equals

Maskey calls for Maragret Ritchie to address the issue of HMO's in South Belfast

Published: 27 November, 2007

27th November 2007

Minister acknowledges that, "it is likely that most, if not all the streets in South Belfast exceed the proposed limits for the number of HMO's."

Alex Maskey, MLA, for South Belfast calls for an urgent review of the Housing Executive's HMO strategy, after it has emerged that the HMO's specified for registration in South Belfast are not scheduled to be completed until February 2013. In a written response to a question presented by Mr Maskey, Margaret Ritchie, acknowledges that the registration will not be completed until 2013, and has also acknowledged, that "it is likely that most, if not all the streets in South Belfast exceed the proposed limits for the number of HMO's."

Mr Maskey said,

"I find this situation totally unacceptable, and call on Margaret Ritchie to address this issue, as a matter of urgency. I, along with local residents groups in South Belfast, have been calling for the number of HMO's to be limited"

"Margaret Ritchie has acknowledged that South Belfast already exceeds the proposed limits for the number of HMO's, but the registration will not be completed until 2013, by which time the number of HMO's will have increased significantly."

"HMO's are ripping the heart off residential communities across South Belfast. Something must be done to limit the number now, not in 2013, when the registration is expected to be complete. 2013 will be too late for some communities."

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