THE NUMBER of larger house shares has more than doubled in the last decade, new figures show.

The numbers, obtained by the Adver under Freedom of Information laws, show that there are currently 130 homes licensed as houses in multiple occupancy (HMOs) in Swindon – up from 54 in 2007.

Landlords need to get a license from the council for houses that are more than three storeys high that will be lived in by five or more people. Licenses run for five years.

All new HMOs housing six or more people require planning consent.

Residents in areas like Broadgreen, Old Town and the town centre, where there are more house shares, have complained of greater noise and car parking problems.

Paul Dixon, Labour councillor for Eastcott Ward, said: “The impact is that local communities are being completely changed.

“With renters living in HMOs often only living in those properties for a short time, there is no incentive for them to become part of the local community and they will not get to know their neighbours like people in permanent properties would.”

Colin Doubleday, local resident and co-chair of Old Town Residents Association, said: “We would like to see a cross community effort to measure and control the growth of HMOs – involving the councils, residents’ associations and residents.

“The only people who seem to be benefitting at the moment are the owners and landlords.”

A Swindon Borough Council spokesman said the council was working to ensure HMOs were safe.

He said: “Other than for the larger HMOs which are subject to a Licensing scheme, there is no requirement for landlords to tell us of any HMOS that they own. Our Public Protection team work closely with those that do to ensure they comply with all safety regulations, including those relating to fire.

“Our team also play a proactive role in seeking out landlords of HMOs who do not present their properties to the Council so that they are also brought up to the correct specification.”

He said that government plans would see many more HMOs requiring a license in future.

“The Government has also signalled its intent to strengthen Licensing requirements around such things as waste storage and disposal and it is likely the council will also review its Licence conditioning practice when the extended scheme comes in.”

Coun Dixon called the rise of HMOs a “sign of the times”.

“People can no longer afford to rent properties of their own and as a consequence there is a greater demand for shared households and HMOs,” he said.

Advocates for house shares have said that they offer an easy way to make new friends.

Allanah Bayliss, of Okus, said: “It’s definitely the best way to meet new people – and really great when you move to a new area.”