Landlords are being invited to comment on proposals for a new Additional Licensing Scheme to apply to small HMOs where three or more people from two or more households share facilities such as kitchens and bathrooms.
While larger HMOs with five or more occupants already require a licence, Woking council is proposing to extend licensing to smaller shared homes.
This follows what it claims to be growing concerns about poor property conditions, ineffective management and the risk that some tenants feel unable to report problems for fear of losing their home.
If introduced, the scheme would:
- ensure small shared rented homes are safe, well-managed and meet appropriate standards
- provide tenants with greater protection against overcrowding, harassment and illegal eviction
- support landlords to better understand and meet their responsibilities
- reduce tenant turnover and help build more settled communities
- give the council powers to proactively inspect properties and tackle issues before they escalate.
A spokesperson says: “Many landlords already maintain their properties to a good standard, but there are some shared homes in our borough that fall well below what’s acceptable. Tenants deserve a safe, decent and well-managed place to live.
“Introducing this scheme will enable us to work proactively with landlords to improve property standards, protect vulnerable tenants and help create more settled, better-supported communities.
“This is an important issue for many residents, and I encourage everyone affected, whether you rent, own, manage or live near a shared property, to have their say on this important matter.”
