Portsmouth MPs Amanda Martin and Stephen Morgan are uniting to host a public forum on the rise of HMO Numbers in Portsmouth, in light of the housing challenges that are becoming impossible to ignore.
The sharp rise in Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) is affecting neighbourhoods across our city and impacting everything from family housing availability to waste management, parking, noise, and community cohesion.
That’s why Amanda Martin MP (Portsmouth North) and Stephen Morgan MP (Portsmouth South) are joining forces to host a Community Forum on HMOs an open, public event aimed at hearing directly from residents and discussing how local and national policy can be strengthened to respond.
The forum will take place on Thursday 31 July 2025 between 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM in Copnor, Portsmouth (venue details shared with attendees). To book your place, click here (Spaces are limited and registration is required)
Why are Amanda and Stephen hosting this forum? Between 2018 and 2023, the number of HMOs in Portsmouth rose from an estimated 3,920 to nearly 6,000. While HMOs play a role in addressing housing shortages, poor regulation and oversaturation are placing unacceptable pressures on our local infrastructure and harming the character of our neighbourhoods.
Both Amanda and Stephen have taken this issue to Parliament raising it with ministers, pushing for changes in planning and licensing rules, and working with MPs across the country who are seeing similar trends.
Amanda Martin MP said: “Since being elected, I’ve heard from countless constituents who are deeply worried about the changing face of their neighbourhoods. HMOs are not inherently bad but when they’re unregulated, planning enforcement is ignored, or left to create over-concentrated areas, they can lead to real problems.
Stephen and I are united in our call for tighter local controls and stronger national guidance. We want to hear your ideas and concerns and use this forum to bring local campaigners together as a platform for change.”
Commenting, Portsmouth South MP Stephen Morgan said: “With housing demand high so high in our city, squeezing more people into converted homes is not a long-term solution. People deserve safe, secure housing that suits their needs and strengthens our communities.
“At our recent Housing Fayre, Portsmouth people told us they wanted an event like this to meet like-minded people, share expertise and help us push for better housing across Portsmouth.
“I encourage all local people with an interest in this issue to sign up so we can tackle this problem together.”
Amanda has also published a Constituent HMO Action Guide, a practical step-by-step document that:
- Helps you report unlicensed HMOs
- Explains planning objections
- Offers template letters and local contacts
- Helps you understand your rights on issues like overcrowding, party walls, and enforcement
