Landlord licensing for HMOs has proven to be a contentious issue. Many landlords feel that councils are introducing licensing schemes unnecessarily, which is why landlords in the Bath and North East Somerset area have decided to fight their corner in an attempt to try and overturn the council’s decision to introduce such a scheme.
Raising Standards in Rental Properties
The council’s main argument for introducing a licensing scheme for HMOs is that it will help to improve the standard of multiple occupancy rental properties. Licensing schemes are a way of regulating landlords operating HMOs for three or more tenants. Licensed landlords will have to meet minimum standards in their properties, which will be better for tenants.
Landlords in Dispute
Landlords in the Bath and North East Somerset area are unhappy at the extra burden that comes from being forced to register for an HMO licensing scheme. They say there is already an accreditation scheme in place to protect tenants and extra legislation is entirely unnecessary. Registering for the scheme will cost landlords money, which in turn will inevitably passed on to the tenant in the form of higher rents. They also think that the introduction of a licensing scheme will discourage new landlords from investing in the area, which could be detrimental to the rental housing market.
HMO Licensing Nationwide
HMO licensing is not a new idea. Licensing schemes have already been introduced in a number of areas and several landlords have been convicted as a result of council prosecutions against them for failures to provide suitable accommodation for their tenants.
