TOUGH new rules could restrict the number of shared homes created in Southampton.

City council chiefs will meet tomorrow to decide whether to change their planning rules to restrict the number of new houses of multiple occupation (HMOs).

However landlords say the move could hit people simply wanting to live with friends or just find a room to rent.

There are currently 7,000 HMOs, which are homes occupied by several people sharing a bathroom and kitchen, many concentrated in areas such as The Polygon and Portswood.

If approved, the changes would mean that there would be just 10 per cent of properties within a 40 metre radius of a proposed shared home would be allowed to be a HMO, as opposed to the current 20 per cent.

However that would not apply if 80 per cent of homes in a 40 metre radius were already shared properties.

It would also prevent a family home being “sandwiched” by shared properties on either side.

Council leader Simon Letts said: “What it means is that will be harder for people to establish HMOs in the city.

“We already have 7,000 HMOs which is plenty and we want to offer planning protection for communities. HMOs tend to be less well cared-for than homes occupied by individuals.”

Conservative opposition leader Jeremy Moulton said he supported the recommended changes, but wanted the council to take more enforcement action “We feel the consultation on this was lacking, and we feel enforcement is lacking”, he said.

“We want that to be beefed up and we want to see more action taken, for example when homes are gutted and lots of rubbish is dumped in gardens.”

He also said he wanted to see a ban on letting boards, adding: “The reality is most people don’t drive around looking for boards.”

“I think letting agents would be content with that, it would save them money and it would make the street scene more attractive.”

Roger Bell, chairman of the Southern Landlords Association, said: “The association doesn’t like creeping legislation because what it is doing is reducing the amount of affordable properties in the private sector for those who need accommodation.

“That means those who just want to rent a room in a house will be excluded from the housing market.”

And Polygon resident Lorraine Barter said she was “unsatisfied” with the changes, saying: “What they have done is made it worse for the areas which already have lots of HMOs, and protected what I would call the leafy suburbs which don’t have many.”

The council cabinet will meet tomorrow to consider the plans.