Housing has been a high-profile problem in this city for many years and the solution (at least one that all can agree on) remains as elusive as ever.

Now changes to the way ‘house shares’ are regulated have raised the prospect of more woe for renters.

And these are changes designed to improve housing standards.

It is a situation that exposes the real difficulty in solving the housing problem — its complexity.

Oxford is a desirable place to live because of its history, heritage and vibrant cultural life. That drives up rents and makes it unaffordable to many on lower wages.

Affordability is compounded by a proven shortage in the number of homes available.

And because it is a historic city, bounded by Green Belt, there is little room for new development (let alone social housing) to meet the ever-growing demands.

That, in turn, continues to fuel the affordability issue.

Throw in a high demand for house shares from the student population and you have a perfect storm.

It is this high demand, high price, low supply combination that creates a market for slum houses that are not fit to live in.

But the licensing requirements by Oxford City Council to improve the standard of properties could exacerbate the shortage if landlords simply withdraw from the house share market.

The council must monitor the effect of its policy and make changes at the first sign of ill effects. And landlords cannot be allowed to use this strong-arm tactic if they are simply seeking to avoid spending money on bringing homes up to scratch.

Ultimately, solving Oxford’s housing problems will need a combination of innovative development that makes the most of the space we have and radical regeneration that replaces the mistakes of the past with housing fit for the 21st century.