We need to change the housing Act 2004 (HMO bits) and as amended in 2006/7 in respect to HMOs. The whole topic was badly framed and not needed. Like so many local authority inspired laws it takes an exisitng set of laws and makes the whole thing intrusive and cumbersom. There so many situations where HMOs come into existence depending on whether a renter is using a room as their "main" residence - perhaps they are simply working away from home! Section 257 blocks are HMOs if an owners suddenly decides to move away and rent out their flat. Much depends on the status of people - living together or just friends to be defined as separate households. It all costs LHA/EHOs money to chase and enforce and why? People dont't like HMOs because some cause problems but there are other ways to deal with poor landlords (there are poor landlords letting non-HMOs too!) and poor tenants. Licenced HMOs can still cause problems - it does not answer the problem of bad tenants. We do need bedsits - let us build new purpose built bedsit blocks - they could be very cost effective for letting and could be designed and located to minimise disturbance to neighbours.