How we can work together to house people and what we can do to help you
Benefits update
Sandwell update
Legislation Update
It will be lovely to see you there. You can book on-line to register your place here https://www.nrla.org.uk/events/meetings/5166 (to give us an idea of numbers) or just turn up!
Firstly, hello! This is my first ever blog! My name is Saarika Chander, as you would have seen in the previous blog. My job role is an Accommodation Officer in the Housing Solutions sector. Lucky for all you landlords, I’m the new editor…you can stop clapping now. I’m hoping to post more blogs and we would really like to hear your views and opinions so please feel free to comment good or bad (hopefully good). Also spread it around to landlords that you who think it may help. Anyway, enough talking, let’s get into why you’re really here.
Some of our HMO Landlords may have noticed that the link to apply for a HMO Licence had disappeared from our website a few weeks back, that’s because we have a new system! We’re hoping that this new system will be a much smoother, easier way to apply for a mandatory licence. If you have a HMO property with 5 or more people in 2 or more households, you can apply with our new form here which is also now on our website.
Have you applied for your mandatory licence yet?
Please note that if you want to save your application, you will only be able to do so if you make a MySandwell account. You are still able to apply for an application without making an account, but you just won’t be able to save your progress, so please keep that in mind while applying.
If you don’t wish to make a MySandwell account, then make sure that you have these documents ready to upload: Fire Alarm Certificate, Electrical Installation Certificate, Fire Risk Assessment, Emergency Lighting Certificate, Gas Certificate, EPC, Plans, Photo ID, Proof of address, PAT Testing (If applicable).
Apologies – the blog has been out of action for a few months now. I have been taken up with other duties and the other editor, Liz Mooney has been particularly busy with various projects and new responsibilities. Unfortunately, this has meant that no-one has been free to write posts.
However, we still think the blog is a very valuable tool for keeping in touch with landlords and other housing professionals; making sure that the people who actually provide the homes for Sandwell residents have the information they need…
So, from now on the blog will have a new editor. Meet Saarika Chander who will be taking over and ensuring that the blog gets back to being produced on a regular basis, helping to keep you informed about the various housing issues that matter.
Saarika has worked in housing for 3 years. She has been a key member of Liz’s team, carrying out a number of different roles including providing much of the social media content we put out. So, I know that the blog will be in excellent hands.
She is hoping to make the blog a regular channel again, so you should be seeing a lot more posts. Although as always – we will limit content to subjects that we think are either genuinely useful to you, or things that we have a duty to inform on. And you might still see the odd blog from me still covering issues like Council Tax (from a landlord point of view), DHP, Housing Benefit etc.
Don’t forget that you are always free to comment on blogs. Good or bad, we are grateful when people take the time to do so – feedback is always valuable.
The requirement that all Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in a specified area of West Bromwich need to be licenced by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council comes into effect today, (Friday 1 July 2022). This is an extension of current regulations where only some HMOs which meet certain criteria require a licence.
If you are a landlord or person responsible for the management of an HMO in the affected area, you must ensure that you have submitted an application for a licence for any existing HMO today. Applications made later than today for HMOs already in existence on 1 July 2022 will still be accepted but making a late application will carry the risk of legal and financial penalties.
If you are creating an HMO within the affected area after the 1 July 2022, you should submit your application as soon as the HMO is created or ideally in advance.
You don’t need a MySandwell account to apply BUT if you don’t have one, you can’t save your progress. If you wish to be able to go back to your application at any stage please log in with your MySandwell account or register for an account if you don’t already have one.
Please remember that all HMOs which meet the criteria whether or not they are in the specified area of West Bromwich still require a licence.
Failure to obtain a licence of any HMO when required can result in penalties of up to £30,000. Any breach or breaches of HMO management regulations can also result in substantial civil penalties.
The Sandwell Landlords Blog 