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Barnet Council launches additional licensing for HMOs (11 July 2016)

Date: 11/07/2016
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Barnet Council launches additional licensing for HMOs

Barnet Council has introduced Additional Licensing requirements for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) from July 5, as part of the council’s drive to improve standards in the private rented sector and clamp down on rogue landlords.

HMOs include houses or flats which are occupied by more than one family, with some tenants sharing (or lacking) a facility such as a toilet, kitchen, or bathroom.

Certain blocks of self contained flats can also be classified as HMOs if they have been poorly converted and do not meet the Building Regulations 1991.

Leader of Barnet Council, Councillor Richard Cornelius, said:

“Barnet now has the highest population of all the London boroughs, with further growth expected over the coming years.

“There is no doubt that well managed HMOs have an important role to play in helping meet our housing needs.

“From research, we know though that people living in HMOs can be vulnerable and at increased risk of being exploited by landlords – our recent survey of people living in HMOs was a cause for concern.

“For these reasons, we are taking action to help drive-up standards of HMOs across the private rented sector, to encourage good landlords and crack down on rogue landlords who expose their tenants to unnecessary health and safety risks though substandard accommodation.”

The council says the changes will extend the current licensing scheme to most HMOs two or more storeys high and which are occupied by four or more unrelated individuals who share facilities.

Larger properties converted into self-contained flats may also require a licence.

HMO landlords are encouraged to check if the new changes affect them online and to apply for a licence where necessary.

The changes follow several enforcement actions taken by Barnet Council in relation to poorly managed HMOs, which have resulted in successful prosecutions with fines of in excess of £200,000.

In one case, a landlady was fined for failing to have a licence for HMO that was poorly managed – and in another case, a landlord was fined £25,000 for leaving tenants at risk of dying in a fire.

Most recently, a rogue estate agent received a prison sentence for stealing thousands of pounds worth of deposits from tenants and landlords.

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