City launches consultation on ‘eye watering’ new fees for HMOs

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Nottingham has revealed it will charge non-accredited, less compliant HMO landlords an eye-watering £1,993 fee to join its proposed additional licensing scheme – a £273 increase on the current scheme’s fee.

Accredited landlords will pay £1,118 – up from £990 – in a city already used to having to fork out big bucks for a licence; according to the HMO Hub website, Nottingham’s mandatory HMO scheme is one of the most expensive outside London, at £1,330 for a standard application.

The authority explains that this ‘less compliant’ fee covers any additional monitoring, inspections and enforcement that might be needed, basing the figure on covering staffing levels to deal with 5,300 applications.

Nottingham Council insists that its current additional scheme has had a positive impact on HMOs, including tackling problems with waste management and anti-social behaviour.

The current additional scheme, covering parts of central Nottingham, will soon come to an end and the council hopes to introduce a new citywide scheme, which would run for five years from January 2024.

However, landlords in the city will be voicing their concerns during the current month-long consultation.

Concerned

An NRLA spokesman tells LandlordZONE that it is concerned about plans to increase licensing fees across the board.

“Quite frankly the council’s licensing schemes have become a de facto tax on much needed rented housing rather than an effective tool to root out rogue and criminal landlords,” he adds.

“Given the council will be able to access details of landlords and properties on the planned national property portal and in light of plans for a decent homes standard for the sector, licencing schemes of this kind are completely redundant and should be scrapped.”

Lambeth holds the dubious honour of having the most expensive additional licensing scheme in the UK, where landlords pay £2,024 to license a four-bedroom HMO.

Read the consultation details in full.

View Full Article: City launches consultation on ‘eye watering’ new fees for HMOs

Landlord fined after tenants spend Xmas and NY without water or decent heating

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An experienced landlord who left a family with a baby without water or adequate heating in their rented property over Christmas and New Year has been fined.

Anthony Wardrop, 79, of The Parade, Hartlepool, had denied a charge of failing to comply with an Improvement Notice served in January 2022 but was found guilty when he appeared at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court

Wardrop, acting on behalf of Sedgedene Estates, who’s also a director of a used car firm, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £580 in costs for failing to carry out work to make the property in Westmoreland Street safe.

Water supply

The court heard the landlord had failed to ensure a constant water supply was provided to the rented property. This had left the family, including a baby and two older children, without water or adequate heating over Christmas and New Year in 2021.

The Improvement Notice, issued by Darlington Council’s private sector housing officers, also ordered him to carry out basic duties in the property such as providing gas and electricity safety certificates, ensuring the property had adequate heating and was free from damp and mould.

Wardrop had delayed carrying out works inside the property for several months which only started after investigations for the prosecution began, despite continued efforts by the council to help him.

Councillor Mike Renton (pictured), cabinet member for stronger communities, says: “The owner of this property failed to carry out the basic responsibilities required of him as a landlord, leaving a young family without water or adequate heating which is simply not acceptable.

“This prosecution sends out a very clear message that we will take strong action against any landlord who doesn’t ensure the safety of their tenants.”

Read more about improvement notices.

View Full Article: Landlord fined after tenants spend Xmas and NY without water or decent heating

Evidence from solicitors?

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Hello, I have a tenant who has contacted a solicitor regarding the condition of the flat’s drainage problem, mould, damp and mice infestation.

I received a letter from her solicitor just after Christmas regarding the problems she says she has.

View Full Article: Evidence from solicitors?

Flagship government campaign empowers social tenants to complain

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A new government campaign will urge social housing tenants to complain about substandard housing as part of its flagship ‘Make it right’ campaign.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is urging tenants to make their voices heard by complaining to their landlord before escalating an issue to the Housing Ombudsman if they are unhappy with the landlord’s final response.

View Full Article: Flagship government campaign empowers social tenants to complain

Fire test certificate needed?

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Hello, I let a 5 bed semi detached. The house is over 2 floors, ground and first. I have radio controlled fire safety fitted in the hall and landing.

My local authority is asking for a fire test safety certificate.

View Full Article: Fire test certificate needed?

Luton landlord to pay thousands after ‘hindering’ property safety probe

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A Luton landlord has been fined for the unusual offence of failing to provide documents relating to safety issues at his property.

Sarfraz Yousaf, of New Bedford Road, the director of Poplar Homes Ltd (pictured), was prosecuted by Luton Council after it reported that his reticence had hindered its investigation.

Last summer, the authority received a complaint relating to the poor condition of the house in St Peters Road. It alleged that the property did not have any fixed heating provision, no hot water and inadequate water services.

It was also reported that there were no smoke detectors, and the electric cooker was inappropriately connected and not conforming to current standards.

Failed

Poplar Homes (main image) was asked to provide the necessary information including ownership details as well as gas and electrical safety certificates, but repeatedly failed to do so and the council began legal proceedings.

Yousaf admitted the offence of not providing the correct and necessary documentation at Luton Magistrate’s Court. Poplar Homes was fined £3,977, plus a victim surcharge of £1,231, and costs of £508, while the landlord was fined £768, plus a victim surcharge of £307.

Documents

The firm has been tasked with making the necessary improvements to the property and the council is working to ensure these are carried out, according to councilor Tom Shaw (pictured), portfolio holder for housing. He says part of any investigation requires it to be satisfied that the necessary documents are held.

“Failure to demonstrate that is a serious offence in its own right,” adds Shaw. “The quality of the property investigated was not of a sufficiently high standard and we have demanded that the landlords resolve this as quickly as possible.”

Read more: how to ensure you property is compliant.

View Full Article: Luton landlord to pay thousands after ‘hindering’ property safety probe