HMO landlords face paying out £1,570 for a licence when Camden Council renews its additional scheme in December.
The London borough is also getting tougher on failing properties by introducing two-year licences for landlords where there are concerns about management or property condition and new rules on waste management responsibilities.
Landlords must give tenants written information at the start of the tenancy detailing their waste management responsibilities and keep evidence this has been provided for the duration of the licence period. They also need to make sure general rubbish isn’t dumped in gardens and back yards.
A review of the fees for a previous scheme which ended in 2020 revealed that these failed to cover the full cost. The current scheme costs landlords £1,488, although landlords who are a member of an accreditation scheme get a £100 discount.
Camden estimates there are about 6,200 HMOs in the London borough. A recent review found that 94% of licensed HMOs required work to meet suitable living standards, but that in 80% of cases the landlord either started or completed the necessary works. It has also issued more than 200 Civil Penalty Notices and over £300,000 in court fines since additional licensing began in 2015.
The decision to renew the scheme until December 2030 follows a public consultation that resulted in a strong split between landlords and residents; 69% of residents wanted to renew the scheme compared with 25% of landlords.
Councillor Sagal Abdi-Wali, cabinet member for better homes, says with more than a third of households in the borough privately renting, it’s crucial that the authority can help ensure that these homes meet decent standards of safety and management.
“Renewing our additional HMO licensing scheme means we can keep improving housing conditions, hold landlords to account, and protect the thousands of residents living in shared housing in Camden,” she adds.
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