TENANTS - London Student Housing Guide

TENANTS
Does your landlord need a licence?
Q1. Are you renting
in a property of
three or more
storeys?
Q2. Are there other
people living in the
building and sharing
facilities with you who
aren’t related to you?
Mandatory HMO
licensing starts
from April 6th 2006.
If you answered yes
to both questions,
your landlord may
need a licence.
To check if your
landlord is liable visit:
www.propertylicence.gov.uk
Mandatory licensing for
houses in multiple occupation

What’s the aim? What’s What’s the aim? What’s the aim? the aim? Who does it Who affect? does Who it does Who affect? it does affect? it affect? When does it When start? When does it does When start? it does start? it start? How will this How will How this will How this will this
affect me? affect affect me? me? affect me?
When does it When start? When does it does When start? it does start
Issuing licences to reputable
landlords of houses in multiple
occupation means that tenants,
however vulnerable, should
have access to decent,
affordable housing.
Licensing also gives
tenants assurance that their
landlord will manage the building
in an appropriate manner and
is a fit and proper person.
Landlords letting the largest
HMOs, those on three or
more storeys with five or
more people in two or more
households living in them,
must apply for a mandatory
licence. Some councils may
choose to license landlords
with smaller HMOs as well.
For the purposes of licensing
anyone who is living with
members of their own family
or living with a partner
(whether or not they are
married) will be treated as
a household. If you are
sharing with a group of
friends each of you will be
a single household.
If you live in an HMO liable
for mandatory licensing,
your landlord can apply from
April 6, 2006. From July 6,
2006 all liable HMO landlords
must have applied for
a licence, or else they
will be liable to fines of
up to £20,000 or rent
repayment orders.
Where can Where I get Where can Where I can get I get can I get
more information? more more information? information?
more information?
A licence will be granted for a If a property is licenced to
property to house a maximum hold a certain number of
number of occupants. occupants and there are
more than that number living
A public register of HMO
there at the time that the
licences available via the
licence is granted your
local authority means that
landlord should not evict you
you can find out which
in order to comply with the
HMOs are licensed and
licence. The landlord will be
who manages them.
committing an offence only
This should help you find if he allows somebody else
good quality accommodation. to move in after you move
out when your tenancy
Your landlord cannot
www.propertylicence.gov.uk
www.propertylicence.gov.uk
www.propertylicence.gov.uk
comes to an end.
evict you in order to
Your local authority Your local may Your authority be local Your able
If
authority
you
local to may
are
help authority be
not
may able
sure
be to may
whether
able help be to help able to help
avoid licensing. If you are
if you have problems if you have if with you problems have private if
your
you problems have rented
home
with problems private
should
with private rented
be
with rented private rented
threatened with eviction
accommodation. accommodation. Ask to speak accommodation.
licensed
Ask to the to
you
Ask speak
should
to speak Ask to the
check
to to speak the to the
you should contact your
department that department deals department with that department private
with
deals that
your
with deals
local
that private with
authority.
deals private with private
local authority.
rented housing. rented rented housing. housing. rented housing.
Citizens AdviceCitizens AdviceCitizens Advice
Listed in the phone Listed Listed book in the in phone Listed the phone book in the book phone book
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Community Legal Community Services Community Legal Direct Community Services Legal Services Legal Direct Services Direct Direct
0845 345 4345 0845 08454345
0845 4345 345 4345
www.clsdirect.org.uk www.clsdirect.org.uk
www.clsdirect.org.uk
www.propertylicence.gov.uk
Law Centres Federation Law Centres Law Centres Federation Law Centres Federation Federation
020 7387 8570 020 7387 020 8570 7387 0208570
7387 8570
www.lawcentres.org.uk www.lawcentres.org.uk
www.lawcentres.org.uk
National Union National of Students National Union National Union of Students of Union Students of Students
0871 221 8221 0871 08718221
0871 8221 221 8221

Where can I get
more information?
www.propertylicence.gov.uk
Your local authority may be able to help
if you have problems with private rented
accommodation. Ask to speak to the
department that deals with private
rented housing.
Citizens Advice
Listed in the phone book
www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Community Legal Services Direct
0845 345 4345
www.clsdirect.org.uk
Law Centres Federation
020 7387 8570
www.lawcentres.org.uk
National Union of Students
0871 221 8221
www.nusonline.co.uk
Shelter
0808 800 4444
www.shelter.org
A Tenant’s Guide to HMO Licensing Leaflet
Available from 0870 1226 236
Published by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister © Crown copyright 2006.
Printed in the UK March 2006 on paper comprising 75% post-consumer waste
and 25% ECF pulp. Product code 05HD03398/tenant