Potential penalties of up to £30,000 landlords who fail to comply.
If you are the landlord of a House in Multiple occupancy of whatever size in the West Bromwich area, this blog is for you. I can’t emphasise enough that that this is extremely important.
Currently some, but not all Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) need a licence from their local authority. Here’s an explanation of the current rules defining which HMOs need a licence.
These rules still apply across most of Sandwell and will continue to do so. However, from Friday 1 July 2022, an extension of these regulations will be applied to ALL HMOs in a defined area of West Bromwich. (See below). Any landlord in the affected area who fails to comply with this new requirement may face a penalty of up to £30,000.
This is the legislation which allows us to make these changes.
The change was brought in following a full consultation on Selective and Additional Licensing in the central West Bromwich area. The consultation commenced on 27 January 2020 and ended on 20 April 2020 (12 weeks in total). The consultation was extended and included online webinars in response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
We have decided to make this change as there has been a rapid growth in the number of all types of HMOs in the borough in recent years.
Whilst most of them are of a good standard and well managed, a significant number are not. This has resulted in many problems in the property, with neighbours and in the surrounding areas, resulting in an increased number of complaints.
The Private Sector Housing Team has also discovered that the landlords of many of these smaller HMOs do not even realise they are running HMOs either through ignorance, the fact that their tenants have moved someone in without telling them, or they have been subject to a Rent to Rent agreement which they may or not know about.
Also please note that although a slightly separate issue from the licencing requirements – all HMOs, whether they require a licence or not are still subject to the HMO management regulations.
If you are a landlord with an HMO that is not yet licenced but will require a licence under the rule change, you need to have made an application for a licence by Friday 1 July 2022.
You’ll soon be able to apply for your licence on our website. Keep an eye on the blog as we’ll share details as soon as the application process is online. Or you can get in touch with us now to register your interest by emailing Landlord_licensing@sandwell.gov.uk
A licence will cost £893.35. This is paid in two parts. £572.80 is due to paid at the time of making the application. The remaining £320.55 is to be paid once we have carried out our processing and the before the Draft Licence is sent to you. A licence will last for a period of five years.
Landlords who are full members of either the Midland Landlord Accreditation Scheme or the National Residential Landlords Association Accreditation Scheme will be entitled to a discount of £165 on the first property they require a licence for and a further discount of £55 on any other subsequent property they require a licence for. For members of the NRLA there is a further £55 discount.
If you require further information on this matter, please email Landlord_licensing@sandwell.gov.uk
For a list of all streets in West Bromwich, covered by the change, where a licence will be required for HMOs, please see the list below. Underneath that, you will also find a copy of the legal notice we have made setting out the change.
Liz Mooney
| ACORN CLOSE | |
| ADAMS STREET | |
| ADVENT GARDENS | |
| ALBA ROAD | |
| ALLEN DRIVE | |
| ASTLE PARK | |
| BAGNALL STREET | |
| BAILEY STREET | |
| BAKER STREET | |
| BARLOW DRIVE | |
| BARTON STREET | |
| BEECHES ROAD | |
| BEECHES ROAD PASSAGE | |
| BEECHWOOD ROAD | |
| BERESFORD CRESCENT | |
| BIRMINGHAM ROAD | Up to M5 junction 1 motorway island |
| BORWICK AVENUE | |
| BOWATER STREET | |
| BRATT STREET | |
| BRIDGE STREET | |
| BROMFORD LANE | |
| BROOK STREET | |
| BULL STREET | |
| BURLINGTON AVENUE | |
| BURLINGTON ROAD | |
| BUTLER STREET | |
| CAMBRIDGE STREET | |
| CAROLINE STREET | |
| CARTERS GREEN | |
| CHAPMAN WAY | |
| CHURCH STREET | |
| CLAYPIT LANE | |
| CLIFFORD ROAD | |
| CONGREGATION WAY | |
| COOPER CLOSE | |
| COOPER STREET | |
| COPPICE STREET | |
| CORDLEY STREET | |
| COYNE ROAD | |
| CREED WAY | |
| CRONEHILLS LINKWAY | |
| DARTMOUTH STREET | |
| DE MARNHAM CLOSE | |
| DEVEREUX ROAD | |
| DUDLEY STREET | Up to number 76 |
| DUKE STREET | |
| EARL STREET | |
| EATON AVENUE | |
| EDITH DRIVE | |
| EDWARD STREET | |
| EMILY STREET | |
| FITZGUY CLOSE | |
| FLORENCE ROAD | |
| FREDERICK STREET | |
| GADS LANE | |
| GEORGE STREET | |
| GRANGE ROAD | |
| GUNS LANE | |
| HARWOOD STREET | |
| HAYES STREET | |
| HAZELBEECH ROAD | |
| HERBERT STREET | |
| HIGH STREET | |
| HILTON STREET | |
| HOPE STREET | |
| IRELAND GREEN ROAD | |
| IZONS ROAD | |
| JERVOISE STREET | |
| JESSON STREET | |
| JOHN STREET | |
| KINGS SQUARE | |
| LAMBERT END | |
| LAMBERT STREET | |
| LEGGE STREET | |
| LIME CLOSE | |
| LIVINGSTONE ROAD | |
| LODGE ROAD | |
| LOMBARD STREET | |
| LOMBARD STREET WEST | |
| MANLEY CLOSE | |
| MARGARET STREET | |
| MARY ROAD | |
| MASON STREET | |
| MILL STREET | |
| MOOR STREET | |
| MOTTRAM CLOSE | |
| MOUNTBATTEN CLOSE | |
| NEW SQUARE | |
| NEW STREET | |
| NICHOLLS STREET | |
| NORMANS DRIVE | |
| OAK AVENUE | |
| OAK LANE | |
| OAK ROAD | |
| OSBORNE ROAD | |
| OVEREND STREET | |
| OXFORD ROAD | |
| PAGANAL DRIVE | |
| PARK STREET | |
| PEARSON STREET | |
| PEPPERCORN PLACE | |
| POPLAR AVENUE | |
| POPLAR GROVE | |
| PRICE STREET | |
| PRINCES GATE | |
| PRINCESS PARADE | |
| PROVIDENCE PLACE | |
| QUEENS SQUARE | |
| RAILWAY STREET | |
| REFORM STREET | Up to number 47A |
| RICHARD STREET | |
| RICHARD STREET SOUTH | |
| RICHARD STREET WEST | |
| ROEBUCK LANE | |
| ROEBUCK STREET | |
| ROWLEY VIEW | |
| RYDERS MILL CLOSE | |
| SALISBURY ROAD | |
| SALTERS VALE | |
| SANDWELL CENTRE | |
| SANDWELL ROAD | |
| SHAFTESBURY STREET | Up to numbers 16 and 19 |
| SHINTONS SQUARE | |
| SKIDMORE DRIVE | |
| SPRINGFIELD CRESCENT | |
| ST MICHAEL STREET | |
| SUMMERFIELD AVENUE | |
| SUTTON CRESCENT | |
| TAPESTRIES AVENUE | |
| TEMPLE STREET | |
| THE BEECHES | |
| THE PAVILIONS | |
| THOMAS STREET | |
| THYNNE STREET | |
| TREDDLES LANE | |
| TRINITY ROAD NORTH | |
| TRINITY STREET | |
| TRINITY WAY | |
| TURNER STREET | From Expressway to Metro Line |
| TURTON ROAD | |
| VICTORIA STREET | |
| WALSALL STREET | |
| WALTER STREET | |
| WELLINGTON STREET SOUTH | |
| WESLEY CLOSE | |
| WEST BROMWICH RINGWAY | |
| WESTBOURNE ROAD | |
| WHEATLEY STREET | |
| WHYLEY STREET | |
| WICKHAM SQUARE | |
| WINKLE STREET | |
| WOOD LANE | |
| YOUNG STREET |
METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL OF SANDWELL
PUBLIC LEGAL NOTICE
HOUSING ACT 2004 SECTION 56
DESIGNATION OF AN AREA FOR ADDITIONAL LICENSING OF HOUSES IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION 2022
1. THE METROPOLITAN BOROUGH COUNCIL OF SANDWELL (“the Council”) HEREBY GIVES NOTICE that the Council, being the Local Housing Authority, in exercise of its powers under Section 56 of the Act (“The Act“ shall mean the Housing Act 2004) has designated an area of West Bromwich (“the Area”) all within the Borough of Sandwell for additional licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (“HMOs”).
2. The designation was made on 18 March 2022 and will come into force on 1 July 2022. The designation will last for 5 years, until 30 June 2027.
3. The designation falls within a description of designations for which the Secretary of State has issued a General Approval dated 26th March 2015 and therefore does not need to be confirmed by the Secretary of State.
4. The designation applies to all HMOs, as defined by section 254 Housing Act 2004, which are occupied by 3 or more persons comprising 2 or more households (irrespective of the number of storeys within the HMO). This includes single storey flats and two, three or more storey properties as well as s257 flats (converted flats meeting the test under s257 of the Act).
5. This notice is published in accordance with Section 56 to 60 of the Act and Regulation 9 of the Licensing and Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation and Other Houses (Misc. Provisions) (England) Regulations 2006.
6. The designation may be inspected at: Sandwell Council House. The Citizen & Consumer Protection (Accommodation) Team, Freeth Street, Oldbury, B69 3DE. Members of the public can be emailed copies of the designation upon request. Copies are also displayed on the Council’s website.
Citizen & Consumer Protection (Accommodation) Team can be contacted via:
Email: landlord_licensing@sandwell.gov.uk
Telephone: 0121 368 1177 (option 7)
Website: https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/info/200223/housing/4777/additional_licensing
7. Any landlord, person managing, or tenant in the area of the district of Metropolitan Borough Council of Sandwell should seek advice from the Council on whether their property is affected by this designation and should apply to licence their property at the above website. Page Number 2
8. WARNING: Failure to licence a property which requires licensing by virtue of this designation may result in an unlimited fine on summary conviction under the provisions of section 72 of the Act or a Civil Penalty of no more than £30,000. A person who breaches a condition of the licence is liable upon conviction to a maximum fine of £5,000 or a Civil Penalty of no more than £30,000. Tenants and/or the Council may apply for a rent repayment order under Sections 73 and 74 of the Act.
Dated: 18 March 2022
Signed: Gillian Douglas
Director of Housing
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