AQW 45916/11-15

Mr Gregory Campbell
Democratic Unionist Party
East Londonderry

Tabled Date: 18/05/2015
Answered On Date: 01/06/2015
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Social Development how widely or narrowly, will the term 'members of the same family' be used to describe tenants in the definition of Houses in Multiple Occupation, be interpreted.

Answer:

The review of the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) regulation concluded that the definition was inadequate. The new HMO Bill specifies the meaning of “household” for the purposes of HMO licensing. The term household primarily includes members of the same “family”. The definition of family within the Bill includes married, unmarried and same-sex couples, step children and foster children, as well as blood relatives. The list of blood relatives includes parents, grandparents, children and step-children, grandchildren, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts, nephews, nieces and cousins.

Additionally, a person who is a personal or domestic carer in a residential capacity is to be treated as a member of the household for the purposes of this Bill.