A LANDLORD (m, 45) and a LOCAL (m, 70) stand outside a coffee shop, in the neighbourhood of the UU Magee Campus. The LANDLORD finishes a phone call, as the LOCAL prepares to mount his mobility scooter. They don’t know each other. They strike up a conversation.
LANDLORD: That’s a fine café there.
LOCAL: Yep. It’s our local.
LANDLORD: I’m surprised to see it round here. Like, I’m surprised to see how residential this area still is.
LOCAL: Changes are happening. There are lots of transient occupiers here. More coming.
LANDLORD: That’s what has me here. I have two HMO houses further on up.
LOCAL: I need to be direct with you ...
LANDLORD: ... Fire away. I like direct ...
LOCAL: ... Direct and civil. I’m one of the long-term residents who strongly opposes the glut of HMOs in this area. So, directly – get out of the HMO business. You can still make money, renting your property, longterm, to a family or to adults, sharing.
LANDLORD: The students leave the place in a heap when they ...
LOCAL: Imagine living next door to that.
LANDLORD: (Laughs) I wasn’t great when I was at college.
LOCAL: Me neither. Crammed into dives in Ranelagh, near UCD Belfield, we were. Today’s HMOs are the modern equivalent. Get out of them. Rent to long-term tenants with proper contracts and penalties ...
LANDLORD: I consider myself a good landlord ...
LOCAL: No doubt, but, as long as you’re renting HMOs, you’re compounding the glut and all that goes with it.
LANDLORD: The Agent tells me the market in HMOs is finished.
LOCAL: Residents and the councils, here and across the water, are pushing back against them...
LANDLORD: He says emergency accommodation is the way to go now. The Holylands HMO market in Belfast is gone. It’s full of foreigners.
LOCAL: More people being exploited by bad conditions. Residents there are doing their best to have good living spaces for all, meanwhile ...
LANDLORD: The bottom line is the money.
LOCAL: You own the assets. The agent is using you, while abusing the people of this area. Get out of HMOs. Get out of transient occupation. Return your houses to the city’s rental stock and this’ll be an even nicer, mixed residential area.
LANDLORD: Why doesn’t the University build accommodation for students?
LOCAL: Best ask the University. The Magee University Campus Task Force report said the commercial sector would provide student accommodation. In Belfast that means specially built blocks. In Derry, it means people like you, private landlords, often not from here ...
LANDLORD: I’m from down South. I have properties in Armagh as well. No HMOs. Just rentals.
LOCAL: Why’s that?
LANDLORD: No university campus. No market for HMOs.
LOCAL: That so? University policy and practice, coupled with the bottom line for agents and landlords, degrading a fine residential area.
LANDLORD: I wouldn’t mind another chat, if ...
LOCAL: You get out of HMOs and the like and, the next time you’re here, I’ll buy the buns and the coffees.
The LANDLORD re-enters the café. The LOCAL mounts his mobility scooter and departs.
