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Brighton and Hove Council launches HMO and selective licensing consultations (24 July 2017)

Date: 24/07/2017
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Brighton and Hove Council launches HMO and selective licensing consultations

Brighton and Hove City Council is consulting on two proposed licensing schemes for the private rental sector in the city.

The first consultation involves a citywide Additional Licensing Scheme for smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) not covered by mandatory licensing; and the second, a Selective Licensing Scheme for other private rented homes in 12 wards in the city.

The council says the aim is to improve consistency of management and maintenance standards in the city's private rented housing.

The council is required to consult interested parties about the schemes and consider representations before reaching a final decision.

Councils can introduce additional licensing schemes for HMOs smaller than those to which the mandatory scheme applies if certain conditions are met.

The council says it has been operating schemes in parts of the city since 2012 – and the proposal is to implement the scheme citywide involving properties of two or more storeys occupied by three or more people, who are not from the same family and who share a kitchen, bathroom or lavatory.

Selective licensing also enables authorities to licence privately rented accommodation other than HMOs if certain conditions are met.

The proposed selective licensing scheme would apply to 12 wards in the city – St Peter’s & North Laine, Regency, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Hollingdean & Stanmer, Queen’s Park, Hanover & Elm Grove, Brunswick & Adelaide, East Brighton, South Portslade, Central Hove, Westbourne and Preston Park.

Approximately 27,000 properties would be affected and consultation documents are available online.

The council says consultation responses will be used in a further report, which will go to the Housing & New Homes Committee in November 2017. Members will then decide whether to proceed with the schemes.

The full background on the decision to propose these schemes is given in the private rented sector discretionary licensing reports discussed by the Housing & New Homes Committee on 16 November 2016 and 14 June 2017.

Both consultations close at midnight on Sunday 10 September 2017.

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