Since April 2006, there has been a requirement for landlords to register any properties that are over three stories and house more than four tenants that are not related. At first, this law seems a bit arbitrary but on closer inspection of the way housing tends to work it is obvious that the law is designed to protect the more vulnerable members of our society that are sometimes forced to accept overcrowded and substandard accommodation.
In the past few months, two landlords have failed to obtain the necessary license and have been prosecuted because of it. I fully stand behind this move. There is little point in bringing in new laws if they are toothless because they are never enforced. In these cases the gentlemen involved have both been fined a substantial amount of around ten thousand pounds and, in my opinion, this should serve as a reasonable deterrent.
I applaud the sentiments of the housing minister on this one when he is quoted as saying:
“I am committed to driving up standards across all forms of housing in this City and to make all rented homes safe and decent for tenants…I am determined that landlords comply with the basic requirements of the licence conditions to ensure tenants live in a safe home. We are working closely with landlords in Birmingham to raise standards of their housing but will have no hesitation in enforcing the law and recommending prosecution of landlords who blatantly flout the law.”
Let’s hope that is exactly how it works out!
