Council is ending HMO 'amnesty'

A local authority is shortly ending an amnesty under which landlords could seek an HMO licence even if they should have had one already.

Redbridge Council's three-month amnesty will end on Sunday, with landlords who apply before the deadline avoiding facing legal action providing an offence is not already being investigated.

A council leaflet and website notice says that On the 1 September 2014 we will begin a multi-agency enforcement operation and push for prosecution of landlords who are operating unlicensed HMO's. The maximum fine for not having a licence

is £20,000.

The leaflet also specifies the legal situation that properties which are let and have three or more storeys, have five or more occupants from two or more households, and which have facilities that are shared between tenants, are officially described as HMOs.

The council publicised its amnesty on its website and staged a dedicated telephone surgery' for landlords each weekday - this is continuing today and tomorrow, on 020 8708 4191, from 10am until noon each day.

Redbridge council was unable to tell Letting Agent Today how many landlords had taken advantage of the amnesty to date.