Agents and landlords in Brighton & Hove are gearing up for the introduction of an additional licensing scheme for smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) which is being introduced from July 1.
Over a third of households in Brighton & Hove rent privately and the Council wants to crack down on rogue operators taking advantage of tenants.
The city-wide scheme is for HMOs of two or more storeys with three or four occupiers and license applications for managing agents and property owners will open from 1 July.
A Selective Licensing Scheme for certain private rented homes in the Kemptown, Moulsecoomb & Bevendean, Queens Park and Whitehawk & Marina wards is also being introduced in September.
Additional and selective licensing schemes are used by local authorities to combat poor management standards and poor property conditions
The city-wide Additional Licensing Scheme cover around 2,200 properties, mostly smaller HMOs with fewer occupants than properties accommodating five or more people over two or more households which fall under the Mandatory HMO Licensing Scheme.
The previous five-year term of the city-wide Additional HMO Licensing Scheme ended in 2023.
Property Soup revealed last month how a Haringey couple have been hit with £10,000 penalty for operating an unlicensed HMO.
CRUCIAL NEED
Sarah WilliamsAn inspection found the property, which was originally a family home, was occupied by seven different households, accommodating nine tenants across three storeys.
Cllr Sarah Williams, Deputy Leader of the Haringey Council and Cabinet Member for Housing and Planning, says: “This case underlines the crucial need for landlords to license their HMOs.
“Licensing is essential to ensure that properties comply with the necessary standards and to protect tenants.”
