A big council in the South of England is to crack down on HMO landlords when its new additional licencing scheme goes live in three weeks.
Although larger HMOs in Portmsouth with five or more people who form two or more households are already covered by ‘mandatory licencing’, all other HMOs must be licenced too from September 1st this year.
The city’s housing department has warned that landlords operating within its boundaries who do not get licenced will face stiff penalties.
Councils running licencing schemes are allowed to fine landlords up to £30,000 if it’s discovered that their property is not licenced.
Big fines
Portsmouth has not been afraid to apply to courts for such fines – two HMO landlords of larger HMOs were recently fined £15,000 (in Rampart Gardens, main picture) and £24,000 respectively after enforcement officers discovered properties that should have been licenced.
Both landlords had initially claimed their properties were not licence-able HMOs but further investigations, and in one case a Tribunal hearing, established otherwise.
Cllr Ian Holder, Cabinet Member for Safety in the Community, says: “It’s so important that people live in safe and well-maintained properties, and HMO licensing allows us to make sure this is happening across the city.
“Our private sector enforcement officers work hard to maintain standards of HMOs in Portsmouth and failure to comply with licensing will result in a hefty fine.”
Applications for additional licensing open on 1 September and applicants will have until 1 December to submit their full application.
