Big council to regulate more HMOs despite landlord criticism of inspection regime

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Haringey Council has given the green light to an additional HMO licencing scheme consultation.

The authority reports that nearly half of the borough’s population live in a private rented home, and that a quarter of these homes are in poor condition.

It believes this additional scheme – which replaces the existing scheme that comes to an end next May – will give it the tools needed to improve the condition of its PRS homes.

However, Haringey was recently criticised following an NRLA investigation into its additional scheme.

It said the council’s own data revealed that, “Haringey is inspecting properties but finding significantly fewer category 1 (i.e. serious) hazards than you would expect if the properties were substandard, which the council used as justification for introducing the designation.”

Keen enforcer

Despite this, the authority is a keen enforcer of its schemes – including a selective scheme which took effect last November – and revealed that landlords with properties within its boundaries had been issued with fines totalling £207,500 for not licencing HMOs in the past four years, including 43 fines with a further 16 warnings that were resolved before becoming a Civil Penalty Notice.

Councillor Sarah Williams (pictured), cabinet member for housing services, private renters and planning, says the council is committed to ensuring that Haringey residents have access to a safe, sustainable, and affordable home.

She adds: “The new additional HMO scheme will provide a clear regulatory framework to support the many good landlords in Haringey, while giving the council powers to act against rouge landlords.”

Read more about Haringey.

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