British University Living
 

Anyone have any experience of buying and licensing a "house of multiple occupancy" for students in UK.... am particularly interested in Southampton...

Re: British University Living
 

Buying a house to let in the UK from outside the UK is going to be very very hard, you are unlikely to get a mortgage.

Re: British University Living
 

I can handle the financial... do you know anything about licensing HMO?

Re: British University Living
 

No, sorry

Re: British University Living
 

vIf you are aiming specifically for students the I'd suggest talking to the university itself, if nothing else they can advise you which council bodies to speak to, and being aligned with the university should enable you to have some control over the residents who are accepted - ie ensuring the places are only let to students.

Re: British University Living
 

Lots of rules and regulations. Have you tried something called google? https://www.gov.uk/house-in-multiple-occupation-licence

Re: British University Living
 

One of the things that is so utterly disappointing about many forum sites, including this one, is the complete smugness of some contributers..

"something called google" .. what do you think?

The point of this site is to call on people to ask if they have personal experience of a subject which takes you above and beyond what the questioner can find simply by googling the subject. quite frankly if that was all you had to reply... why bother?

Re: British University Living
 

Pollyanna....I would have said the same thing... and went to see the relevant office at Southampton twice when settling my step daughter into uni there... and the sum total of their response.....zero.....

Re: British University Living
 

Thats a shame, I know when my nephew went up to Coventry the housing office was amazingly helpful, and sorted out a couple of dodgy landlords over his time there!

Re: British University Living
 

Try Portsmouth University. You may not want to buy there, but they do seem to have active management of private landlords that they inspect and then list for students as "recommended".

Re: British University Living
 

The local Council of the location you want to buy in will have comprehensive info on their website regarding requirements to run an HMO in the area.

Re: British University Living
 

Regulations are framed at England-level and powers are given to local authorites. In Scotland this is a devolved matter. Not sure about position in Wales or NI

Re: British University Living
 

OP, why don't you ask on this section of the forum Moving back to the UK - British Expats ?

sorry I can't help you but I think you'll have more chance of someone who does seeing your post there.

Re: British University Living
 

I do not have first hand experience. I do know someone that does this though. Are you still in need of guidance?

Re: British University Living
 

Thanks but no.. I think I have it covered now....