'"> ');

Author Topic: Landlords need a licence for houses of multiple occupancy  (Read 8419 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

The Prophet

  • Global Moderator
  • Senior Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 364
  • Country: england
  • Financial & Economics commentator
Landlords need a licence for houses of multiple occupancy
« on: August 29, 2011, 10:25:53 am »
To control the spread of houses of multiple occupancy from February 2012 any landlord planning to rent a house to three or more unrelated tenants must apply for a licence from the local council costing £470 with an annual renewal fee of £172.  If the house is not already let as a house of multiple occupancy (HMO), they will also have to apply for planning permission for change of use. Some Councils have stated they will not grant permission for more than one in five homes in any 100 metre section of residential road.

Houses of more than three storeys and let to five or more unrelated tenants have required licensing since 2006.

A 2005 survey by Oxford City Council found that 70% of HMOs were unsafe, with 61% having below standard fire detection and 17% having no fire detection at all.