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New Guidance to UK Landlord Licensing Scheme

Categories:Reading and Research

A significant change to the landlord licensing scheme is the exemption of licensing for smaller HMOs.  If you are a landlord renting out your premises in the UK to multiple occupants and have been exempt from licensing all this while, you may want to pay attention to the latest changes in legislation.

Since its implementation in the UK some 8 years ago, the landlord licensing scheme has brought changes to the UK housing market, affecting landlords across the country. 

Landlord licensing, also known as selective licensing, sets out to ensure that landlords are “fit or proper persons” and that buildings for rent are fit for occupation — all with the intention of raising standards and improve the rental market.

Recently, the UK government released new guidance affecting landlords of houses in multiple occupations (HMOs). The overhaul will take effect on 1 October.

Due to their shared facilities, HMOs often offer cheaper accommodations to students, migrant workers, and young professionals looking for cheaper rental housing.

The new guidance in the landlord licensing scheme is aimed at tackling overcrowding and ensuring all landlords’ properties reach minimum standards.

One of the most significant additions in the landlord licensing scheme is that the previous rules exempting smaller HMOs from licensing, will be removed. Other mandatory changes in selective licensing for HMOs below:

Part 1 of changes – minimum room size

The Mandatory Conditions of Licences 2018 according to Schedule 4 of the Housing Act 2004, introduces new conditions of minimum sleeping room sizes as follows:

  • Not less than 6.51 square meters for one person over 10 years old;
  • Not less than 10.22 square meters for two persons over 10 years old;
  • Not less than 4.64 square meters for children under 10 years old.

Rooms that do not fulfill the minimum requirement are not allowed to be used as sleeping accommodation. Those who abuse the regulations will be charged a penalty of up to £30,000.

Part 2 of changes – waste disposal

The government also set out new guidances related to waste disposal,  given that waste generation by HMOs is higher than standard households due to the high number of occupants.

All the above new amendments will take effect in cities in which  the landlord licensing scheme applies, for instance, London, Liverpool, Nottingham City, Leicester City, and few regions in Manchester.

We published an article on the landlord licensing scheme on our blog last November. Landlords should keep abreast of regulations affecting them or risk being penalised by the UK government. To find out about the scheme in general, take a look at first blog here: https://csiprop.com/landlord-licensing/. CSI Prop looks forward to continously keeping our readers and investors updated on the latest happenings in the Australian and UK housing markets. For a detailed list of the changes to HMOs, scroll down to the sources below. 

By Noorasikin Ali

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