Two Solihull MPs have written to the leader of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council (SMBC) urging further action to address concerns about the number and concentration of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) across the borough.

Saqib Bhatti, MP for Meriden and Solihull East, and Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, MP for Solihull West and Shirley, have jointly written to Council Leader Cllr Karen Grinsell after residents raised concerns about the impact of HMOs in their communities.

HMOs are properties where at least three tenants from more than one household live together and share facilities such as kitchens or bathrooms.

Larger HMOs housing five or more people require a licence from the local authority.

According to the MPs, there are currently 97 properties with active HMO licences in Solihull.

The letter welcomes the council's decision to pursue an Article 4 Direction, which would give the authority greater control over the conversion of homes into HMOs by requiring planning permission for smaller shared properties.

However, the MPs have asked for clarification on the timetable for progressing the measure.

They are also urging the authority to consider evidence-based thresholds for HMO concentrations in neighbourhoods, arguing that licensing decisions should take account of issues such as parking pressures, noise, waste management and the character of local communities.

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Mr Bhatti said HMOs were increasingly being raised with him by constituents through correspondence, surgeries and on the doorstep.

He said: "Neighbourhoods across the borough already house numerous HMOs and we must ensure that licences in such communities are limited to protect the character of the neighbourhoods, the accessibility of their houses and the services my constituents rely on."

Dr Shastri-Hurst said residents in Solihull West and Shirley had repeatedly expressed concerns about the impact of a growing concentration of HMOs.

He said: "I share those concerns, along with the pressures it will place upon parking and local services, such as refuse collection.

"The Council's decision to pursue an Article 4 Direction, which creates the potential for greater oversight of future HMO developments, is therefore to be welcomed."

The MPs said they would continue working with residents and the council to ensure local concerns are considered as discussions on future HMO policy continue.