What’s The Best Way For Local Councils To Find Overcrowded Properties?

Overcrowding in residential properties poses significant challenges for local councils, impacting public health, housing quality, and neighbourhood well-being. Identifying overcrowded properties is crucial to ensuring compliance with housing standards, safeguarding tenant welfare, and addressing illegal subletting or exploitation. 

But how can councils effectively locate and address these issues? 

What Is Classed As Overcrowding?

Overcrowding is defined as a situation where the number of occupants in a property exceeds the available space or facilities, resulting in unsuitable living conditions. According to the Resolution Foundation, 850,000 families are living in overcrowded homes. 

In the UK, it is assessed under two key frameworks: the Housing Act 1985 and the bedroom standard. The Housing Act defines overcrowding using the bedroom standard, often used by councils, and requires each couple or adult over 21 to have their own room, while children under 10 can share regardless of sex. These standards help ensure homes are safe and meet minimum space requirements.

Signs A Property Might Be Housing More People Than Legally Permitted

Local councils, landlords, and neighbours can look out for the following signs that a property may be overcrowded or housing more people than legally permitted:

Excessive Waste: An unusually large amount of rubbish or recycling bins overflowing regularly can indicate that more people are living in the property than expected.

Frequent Noise or Activity: High levels of noise, frequent comings and goings, or constant activity at odd hours may suggest an overcrowded home.

Overloaded Parking: A significant number of vehicles consistently parked outside or near the property could be a sign of too many occupants.

Overused Facilities: Neighbours or property managers might notice issues like blocked drains, repeated plumbing problems, or electrical outages, which could result from overburdened systems.

Subdivided Rooms: Landlords or inspectors might find rooms that have been subdivided with temporary walls or beds placed in non-sleeping areas, such as living rooms or kitchens.

Unusual Patterns in Utility Usage: Excessively high water, gas, or electricity consumption relative to the size of the property may indicate more occupants than expected.

Frequent Deliveries: An unusual volume of mail or deliveries to a single address can suggest multiple people are living there.

Complaints from Neighbours: Neighbours might report concerns about noise, smells, or overuse of shared spaces, which could indicate overcrowding.

Signs of Wear and Tear: Properties that appear excessively worn, with damages such as broken doors, scuffed walls, or deteriorating floors, may reflect overcrowded use.

The Effects of Overcrowding

Overcrowding in housing has a range of detrimental effects, impacting individuals, families, and communities. Addressing overcrowding is essential to improving overall well-being, ensuring adequate housing, and fostering healthier communities. The Health Foundation reports that “8.2% of households in the social rented sector and 5.1% in the private rented sector were overcrowded in 2022/23.”

Health Impacts: Overcrowding increases the risk of physical health problems such as respiratory illnesses, infections, and poor hygiene due to insufficient access to clean facilities. Mental health issues, including stress, anxiety, and depression, are also common as residents experience a lack of personal space and privacy. The National Housing Federation found that 77% of overcrowded families have had their mental health negatively affected by overcrowding.

Educational Challenges: Children living in overcrowded homes often struggle with their education, as they may lack quiet, dedicated spaces to study or complete homework. Research from The National Housing Federation confirmed this, as they found that in almost half (48%) of overcrowded homes, children struggle to do their homework because of the lack of space.

Family and Social Strain: Limited personal space can strain family relationships, leading to increased tension, arguments, and conflicts. Overcrowding may also limit opportunities for social interactions and reduce overall quality of life.

Fire and Safety Risks: Overcrowded properties often have inadequate fire exits or emergency plans, posing significant safety hazards. Overuse of electrical outlets or facilities may also increase the risk of accidents.

Community and Social Issues: Overcrowded housing can contribute to wider social problems, such as neighborhood instability, higher crime rates, and pressure on local services and infrastructure.

Economic Effects: Residents in overcrowded conditions may experience financial hardship as they are often forced to share limited housing options in high-demand areas, sometimes paying excessive rents for inadequate living spaces.

What Tools Can Councils Use To Find Overcrowded Properties?

According to research from the Resolution Foundation, “in order to eliminate overcrowding in the social rented sector in England today, we would need to build 8,000 more three bed homes, 113,000 more four bed homes and 25,000 more homes with five or more bedrooms.”

To do this, local councils can use various methods to identify overcrowded properties, from working with local communities to making use of data services such as OccupID from Marks Out Of Tenancy. 

Collaboration with Community Stakeholders

Local councils can leverage partnerships with schools, healthcare providers, and community organisations to detect signs of overcrowding. Teachers may observe students living in inadequate housing conditions, while healthcare workers might notice patterns of stress or illness linked to overcrowding.

Proactive Data Analysis

Data-driven approaches are increasingly popular. Councils can analyse:

• Council Tax Records: Discrepancies between the number of occupants and the size of the property.
• Waste Collection Data: Excessive waste generation compared to similar households may indicate overcrowding.
• Utility Usage: Unusually high water or electricity consumption can also signal multiple occupants in a property.

Public Reporting Mechanisms

Creating accessible reporting systems for residents is a straightforward yet effective way to locate overcrowded properties. Councils can set up anonymous hotlines, online reporting forms, or mobile apps. Public awareness campaigns about the risks of overcrowding and how to report suspected cases can bolster participation.

Routine Inspections

While resource-intensive, regular inspections of rental properties—especially those with prior complaints or a history of violations—can help identify overcrowding. Inspections might focus on areas with a high concentration of rented properties or known housing pressures.

Partnerships with Landlords

Encouraging landlords to register their properties and comply with legal standards helps councils monitor housing stock more effectively. Landlord forums and training sessions can educate property owners about overcrowding regulations and how to spot potential issues.

Monitoring Short-Term Rental Platforms

The rise of short-term rental platforms like Airbnb has exacerbated housing challenges. Councils should actively monitor listings in their jurisdiction to ensure properties are not being misused, such as by overcrowding multiple tenants in small spaces.

How Can OccupID by Marks Out Of Tenancy Help Tackle Overcrowding?

OccupID is an advanced data service designed to help local authorities identify and address overcrowded properties and unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). By analyzing key indicators and generating powerful data-driven insights, OccupID enables councils to pinpoint properties where overcrowding is likely occurring. This innovative tool streamlines enforcement efforts, ensuring housing standards are met and tenants’ rights are safeguarded.

Whether your goal is to improve housing conditions, protect tenant welfare, recover lost licensing revenue, or ensure fair enforcement of housing regulations, OccupID provides the tools to achieve it. Contact Marks Out Of Tenancy today to learn how our service can support your mission. Together, we can create safer, more compliant housing for everyone.