A LANDLORD renting out a family flat to multiple unrelated tenants without permission has been allowed to continue – despite concerns it could ‘turn the block into a ghetto’.

The ground floor apartment in Surrey Road, Bournemouth, was deemed to be an unauthorised House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) because it was being let to four unrelated people.

After complaints from residents, owner Neill Kirkham formally applied to Bournemouth council for a retrospective change of use.

Neighbour Jerry Gillen told the authority’s November planning board meeting that the flat’s current use was “at odds with the average family”, citing incidents of doors slamming late at night and loud music.

He said that given the block, called Surrey Lodge, contains larger flats it “exposes it to being targeted for HMO use and the likely 'ghettoisation' of the building”.

Mr Gillen then cited the council’s own policy, which says no more than 10 per cent of dwellings in the area should be used for HMO use.

“Of the 12 flats in Surrey Lodge three are already operating as unauthorised HMOs, including this one – a fact already reported to your enforcement team and ward councillors,” he said.

"Within Surrey Lodge itself the threshold is already well exceeded with an existing occupancy of some 25 per cent – clearly well above the 10 per cent supposed protection.”

He said this would mean extra cars parked in the road and “the loss of another family home”.

The council report on the application said allowing the application would only take the number of HMOs within 100m of the site to 5.6 per cent.

Landlord Mr Kirkham said: “It is a widely accepted fact that a significant proportion of any community will comprise shared dwellings.

“Many people do not readily fall within the traditional family residential definition. Many of these either choose or are compelled to live in a shared situation for a variety of reasons – not least the often prohibitive cost of single or dual occupancy homes, either rented or, particularly, mortgaged.

“As a responsible landlord I would feel extremely uncomfortable declining any potential tenant, not to mention evicting my existing tenants purely on the grounds of their non-family status. I feel this is just as unpalatable as any other form of discrimination.”

He added that his tenants are “all professionals holding responsible positions with a major financial institution”.

The meeting’s chairman, Cllr David Kelsey, seconded vice chairman Cllr Pat Oakley's move to grant the application. Only Cllr Phil Stanley-Watts voted against.