Private Sector Housing Service Updates for Landlords Headlines
- Slides: 10
Private Sector Housing Service Updates for Landlords
Headlines to date. • • 2 Applications received: 27211 Licenses Issued: 24290 1 year Licenses issued: 272 Licenses varied to 1 year: 36 Licensed refused/revoked: 535 Prosecutions since February 2016: 94 Civil Penalties [Notice of Intent]: 132 [77 Final Notices]
Breakdown of Civil Penalties. • • • 3 Civil Penalties: 132 Notice of Intent Failure to Licence (part 3) : 77 Failure to Licence (Mandatory HMO) : 13 Breach of Licence Conditions: 7 Breach of Management Regulations: 33 Failure to comply with an Improvement Notice: 2
Mandatory HMO Licensing –Oct 2018 • • Changes to the definition of a Mandatory HMO Requires most HMOs with 5 or more persons, in 2 or more households who share amenities to be licensed • Transitional provision for existing Part 3 licences unless wrong licence applied for • Minimum room sizes (no change to WF standards): Single 6. 51 sqm; Double 10. 22 sqm 4
Possible future designation • • 5 Current scheme ends on the 31 st March 2020 The Council has made no decision as to whethere will be large-scale property licensing in Waltham Forest beyond March 2020 Before any new large scale licensing scheme is designated, the Council would need to consult with a range of stakeholders, including landlords Legal Advice will be sort regarding duration of current licences.
Licence Fees • • • 6 The Licence fee is no longer paid at the point of application for both Selective and Mandatory HMO Licences. The fee will be requested at the point the licence is to be determined. The Licence will not be issued until the fee is paid.
PRS being used as Brothels • • 7 Joint Operation between Council and Police. Approx 80 properties visited after receiving information from neighbours/complainants. 29 were confirmed Brothels, with many more suspected. 18 have been confirmed as closed since 1 st visit. Usually the person who rents the property doesn’t live in it. On some occasions no one is living in the property and it is just “used” for business. Important to carry out regular visits.
E 17 – Case Study • • 8 Property Managing Agent used “Ghost Tenants” as a front to cram 16 people into a property. Property was dangerously overcrowded. Serious defects to the smoke alarm that would have endangered the tenants. Financial penalty of £ 26 k imposed on director of Ilfordbased property management agency
E 10 - Case Study • • • 9 Property was Licensed and the applicant declared that there were 3 smoke detectors in the property. Property was visited February 2018 and there were no smoke alarms or evidence that any had been present. Council imposed a Civil Penalty of £ 10 k on agent based in Hoe Street following an appeal that was then withdrawn.
Borough of Culture • • • 10 Waltham Forest is London's first Borough Of Culture A year of exciting events will kick off in January with “Welcome to the Forest” The Event will be held in Forest Road and include the Town Hall grounds and Lloyd Park. The event will have a street party feel. There will also be an Audio Visual spectacle at the Town Hall. Many More exciting events throughout the year. Find out more here. #wfculture 19. co. uk @wfculture 19
