Landlords, agents and residents in part of London are being asked to have their say on plans to improve living conditions in private rented homes.

An online survey, starting today, invites tenants, landlords, and anyone affected to give their views on Brent council’s proposals to improve living standards for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs).

These new plans are an extension of a previous programme that ran for five years and ended in January, which helped improve the quality of private rented homes in the borough. During that time, more than 2,500 HMOs were licensed.

A mandatory licence is needed for HMOs with five or more people from two or more households. Additional licensing covers other types of HMOs, typically the smaller with three or more people from two or more different households, like those living in bedsits.

Councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson says: “Over the past 20 years, the number of privately rented homes in Brent has grown, and now makes up almost half of all homes in the borough. We want to make sure these homes are safe and good quality for tenants.

“While we have seen significant improvements, we believe that another additional HMO licensing scheme is necessary to maintain and improve the management of HMOs in Brent. We want to encourage residents to give their opinions on these new proposals for HMOs.”

The HMO additional licensing consultation will run for eleven weeks, ending on 26 May 2025.