Barnet Council recently concluded a consultation they started in July 2015 on Additional Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and as a result, as of 5 July 2016 if you are a landlord of Houses in Multiple Occupation as defined in the scheme, you will need to apply for a license.

This is part of their drive to improve standards in the private rented sector and clamp down on rogue landlords who do not maintain their properties to an acceptable standard which leaves tenants vulnerable and at risk.

The latest changes follow a string of enforcement action taken by the Council in relation to poorly managed HMOs, which has resulted in several successful prosecutions with fines of in excess of £200,000. Including a case where a landlady was fined for failing to have a licence for HMO that was poorly managed and another case where a landlord was fined £25,000 for leaving tenants at risk of dying in a fire.

A HMO is defined as houses or flats which are occupied by more than one family with some tenants sharing, or lacking a facility such as a toilet, kitchen or a bathroom. Barnet Council now operates a Mandatory and an Additional Licensing Scheme for HMOs so most but not all HMOs will require a licence.

You can check if your property will need a license by visiting this link: www.barnet.gov.uk/hmos