A LANDLORDS’ group has claimed strict rules for renting out shared houses is pricing some of the poorest tenants out of Oxford.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) wants Oxford City Council to change its homes in multiple occupancy licensing scheme (HMOs) and make it easier for landlords to operate them.

The calls come as the council looks to review its current strategy and hosted a consultation with city landlords.

Landlords running houses and flats occupied by three or more people need a licence to run them as an HMO, allowing unrelated people to live together in a shared property.

NLA local authority policy officer Gavin Dick said the city council’s policy “stifled” investors coming to the city.

He said: “The reason is that the prices are so high is because supply does not meet demand.

“You cannot say high rent prices are all investors’ faults when the city council has not built enough houses in Oxford.

“There is a market floor and the people most in need have been priced out.”

Mr Dick said such shared housing was vital for tenants, but he believed the council appeared set on preventing landlords and investors from providing homes.

He added: “Licences add another cost on landlords. They have to cover the mortgage.

“So not only do they have to pay that, they have to pay all the licence costs and all these costs are going to filter down to tenants.”

Before the introduction of additional HMO licences in 2011, landlords and estate agents criticised the proposals, saying they would push up prices of accommodation. To get an HMO licence landlords need to meet a set of obligations in room sizes, health and safety, fire safety and management.

An initial application to get a licence can cost up to £712, according to the city council.

It is estimated one in five people in Oxford live in an HMO, but this number could rise to 10,000 by 2021 – almost a fifth of homes in the city.

But at the consultation meeting, Oxford landlord Ed Aldworth said licensing regulations should be tougher.

He added: “I would like to see the licences tightened because I would like to see Oxford get rid of shocking landlords, of which there are plenty.

“If there was better enforcement of the regulations I would welcome that. It’s about keeping the rogue landlords out of the game.”

City council leader Bob Price said private sector rents in Oxford were among the highest in the country and it was landlords who were pricing people out of their homes. He added: “The rents are set by the landlords who are making big profits out of what are often poor quality properties.

“The HMO licensing scheme has been very successful in raising standards, but not all HMOs have yet been licensed.”