Council Consults over Houses in Multiple Occupation

Publication date: Thursday 13 September 2012

More landlords of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) will be compelled to licence them if Haringey Council proposals aimed at curbing rogue landlords are agreed.

The council wants to extend existing licensing rules to include smaller properties that are occupied by a number of tenants but currently do not need a licence, and is asking residents their views on this.

Currently, only landlords of properties of three or more storeys must hold licenses to let them out as houses in multiple occupation (HMO) to five or more people. However, areas like Tottenham are home to many small two storey Victorian properties which have been converted to HMOs due to the demand for cheaper private rented housing.

Although these smaller properties are not covered by mandatory HMO licensing, they can cause similar problems, such as anti-social behaviour and nuisance, to tenants and neighbours alike.

To address this, councils can adopt additional HMO licensing schemes that apply to smaller properties. As well as alerting the council to any new HMOs, the introduction of an additional licensing scheme will mean that these properties are inspected to ensure that they are up to standard in terms of maintenance and fire safety.

Cllr Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for the Environment, said:

"Residents have told us that unlicensed and unregulated HMOs can lead to problems in their streets with rubbish disposal, noise and anti-social behaviour. We also know that tenants in these HMOs are often vulnerable and have few choices as to where they live and would benefit from the improved standards that licensing would bring.

"Licensing will compel landlords to comply with minimum standards and health and fire regulations. It also provides for the council to refuse a licence where a landlord is not thought fit."

Last year an additional HMO licensing scheme was introduced in the Harringay Ladder area enabling the council to intervene to improve property management and the standards in HMOs.

The council is now consulting on proposals to introduce additional licensing to the Northumberland Park, Bruce Grove, Tottenham Green, Tottenham Hale and Seven Sisters areas, from where many complaints about private sector housing are received.

The additional licensing would apply to:

• all bedsit or 'shared house' type HMOs occupied by three or more people in two or more households, including flats in multiple occupation
• certain pre-1991 Building Regulations conversions into self-contained units where the number of units exceeds the number of storeys
• all HMOs of three or more occupiers above shops

The consultation runs until 30 November 2012.

• For more information go to the HMO licensing consultation page or contact the Housing Improvement Team on 020 8489 5521

The results of the consultation will be published in January 2013.

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