BOURNEMOUTH council is in the process of buying a former student house in Moordown.

However, the owner of the home in Ensbury Park Road is applying for a ‘certificate of lawfulness’ to have the building officially recognised as a ‘house in multiple occupancy’ (HMO) before the sale is completed.

In an application submitted to the council for the licence, the owner said: “We are applying for a C4 licence [HMO] which this property had been used for from 2003-2015.

“The last two years the property hasn't been rented out and we are now selling the property to Bournemouth council who have requested we apply for this licence.”