MP says town is shared housing 'wild west'

Emma Lewell MP stands giving a speech in front of the wood panelled walls of the House of Commons chamber surrounded by colleagues. She's wearing a crisp bright red blazer over a black top and has a silver crucifix necklace on. She's mid sentence holding papers in her hands in front of her.

Image source, House of CommonsImage caption,

Emma Lewell, Labour MP for South Shields will lead a debate calling for tougher legislation on houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs)

ByJoshua AitkenReporting fromin South Shields

Published2 hours ago

A town's MP has said she believes growing numbers of shared houses are causing overcrowding, parking problems and anti-social behaviour.

Emma Lewell, Labour MP for South Shields, will lead a debate in Parliament later calling for tougher government legislation on houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs).

Speaking to Radio Newcastle, Lewell said: "We don't even know how many HMOs there are in South Shields. This is like the wild west."

In a statement the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government said: "Councils already have powers to prevent too many HMOs being allowed in their area but we're looking at tougher rules that would give local leaders even more control over HMOs."

A local petition supported by Lewell and presented to Parliament in 2025 said too many HMOs were leading to problems.

'Not stigmatising people'

She also said that HMOs were letting down the people living in them.

"People who are vulnerable deserve better, they deserve supported living, they don't deserve to be dumped in a property and told 'there's your room, there's your shared bathroom, crack on'.

"I am not trying to stigmatise people here - they deserve better and my community deserves better," Lewell said.

Local resident Eddie Arfaoui said he was concerned about crime and HMOs.

He said: "The type of people put in shared houses are not really responsible people.

"They'll commit crimes and every so often you'll have police knocking on your door asking if you've seen this person."

Nic, a woman in her 40s with short swept back hair and rectangular glasses smiles warmly next to her son Scott who has his arm around her. He's about a foot taller than her and has a regular brown hair cut. He's wearing a black Hugo Boss bomber jacket while Nic wears a lilac and white tie abstract patterned shirt and a light cagoule.

Image caption,

Nic and Scott said they were concerned about drug culture in some HMOs

Nic said she was concerned about drug use in HMOs and wanted her son Scott to avoid this type of accommodation when he leaves home.

She said: "I dread the day when he's got to fly his wings, it's crime and all sorts, you could get lured into something, followed home at night, we talk about girls' (safety) but what about young men?

"I know there are a few areas around here that have shared accommodation where someone who's got off drugs has gone in and ended up back on them - it's sad."

Scott, 20, said he would rather wait longer to afford to live in his own accommodation.

He said: "It has crossed my mind but it's more hassle than it's worth. I'd rather get my own place and stay with my mum in the meantime.

"One of my friends had got clean but went into supported accommodation and ended up in a worse state."

Joe, a muscular man with tattoos and salt and pepper hair, stands in front of some residential parkland with trees and flower bushes and brick walls behind him.

Image caption,

Joe Mason lives in a HMO which allows him to live close to his daughter

Joe Mason lives in a HMO in the area, and said people living in shared accommodation were being unfairly blamed.

The 42-year-old told Radio Newcastle: "I can understand where people are coming from, but people are getting paranoid about illegal immigrants.

"They need to do more research on it, I live in one just down the road and there's not a single illegal immigrant near it.

"I think the current rules are strict enough, there's rules you've got to abide by, there's CCTV on every property I've been in, it's not like they're unsafe.

"Crime happens everywhere, you can't just blame it on HMOs."

Jason who is wearing a blue Star Wars t-shirt and dark sunglasses stands in front of a leafy avenue split for walkers and cyclists. In the background are blocks of terraced houses and parked cars.

Image caption,

Jason said housing was needed but he worries that HMOs can attract troublemakers

Jason, 53, said he does not mind HMOs existing, but has concerns over the behaviour of some occupiers.

"They're building flats at the bottom of my street, and I'm worried that it'll potentially cause trouble.

"If there's people who need housing, that's fair enough, but if it's people that are going to cause trouble, no.

"They just seem to be coming up all over the place."

South Tyneside Council said it used additional powers to prevent any HMOs from being converted without planning permission.

Council leader Paul Mackings, said: "South Tyneside Council already uses all the powers available to us to regulate HMOs and manage their impact on our communities.

"In addition, all HMOs that require a licence must meet clear legal standards and management conditions.

"We carry out enforcement activity where these standards are not met."

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