Daventry District landlords urged to take heed of important law changes

The Government is extending the licensing requirements for HMOs, making it mandatory for all properties with five occupants or more from two or more households, regardless of the number of storeys.

Landlords with properties meeting the criteria must ensure they have applied for a licence by October 1 this year in order to avoid enforcement action.

Councillor Richard Auger, portfolio holder for environmental health and housing on Daventry District Council, said: "Our district is a popular place to live and work, and with the rental sector increasingly popular, it is more important than ever to ensure everyone here has a safe, well-managed place to live.

"The licensing of HMOs helps to protect the health and safety of the tenants, reduces the impact they can have on local neighbourhoods, ensures that only suitable landlords have control of HMOs, and helps make sure that properties are managed properly.

"The changes to the legislation are a positive step towards creating a better regulated HMO rental sector to ensure tenants’ quality of life. That’s why we look forward to hearing from more landlords who need to make the deadline and continue to make Daventry a great place to live."

It is an offence to fail to apply for a licence for a HMO if one is required and those who fall foul of the legislation face heavy fines.

Tenants living in an unlicensed HMO may also be able to claim back a proportion of the rent they have paid.

Application forms can be downloaded from the council's website.