All privately rented properties in a London borough must from this week be licensed by law. 

A new licensing requirement for smaller Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) has officially come into force in Brent.

This comes on top of the borough’s existing schemes for larger HMOs and single-let properties. 

And it all means that every single landlord in Brent is now legally required to hold a valid licence.

One exemption applies to single-household homes in Wembley Park, which are exempt due to the area’s high proportion of new housing and low levels of anti-social behaviour. 

A spokesperson for the authority says: “Landlords operating without a licence are breaking the law. 

“Our enforcement team is actively working across the borough, using intelligence-led investigations and data analysis to identify those who are failing to comply.

“Brent is one of the leading local authorities in the country for licensing enforcement and any landlord who is not licensed must apply immediately to avoid enforcement action.” 

Landlords operating without the correct licence face serious consequences.

These include prosecution, civil penalties of up to £30,000 per offence, rent repayment orders and restrictions on future lettings.