HMO Ban

Fife Council has ruled a 0 percent increase on houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) within St Andrews. Despite pressure from the University of St Andrews, councillors dismissed the findings of a report led by the Students’ Association as irrelevant and maintained their view that there are enough HMO properties in the town. The ban was originally implemented to encourage all sectors of the market to rent property within St Andrews, not just students.

Many feel, however, that the negatives outweigh the benefits of this decision, citing rental increases and under-used properties from “locked bedrooms” as reasons that the ban should be lifted.

The HMO policy is not set to be reviewed for another three years.

Lawson Thompson