News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the April / May 2003 issue RPI news archive

Local crackdowns on HMO landlords - April / May 2003

Authorities in Scotland and Wales have moved to get tough on HMO landlords who ignore local licensing and registration laws.

In Glasgow one landlord has been fined £500 for ignoring an HMO licensing, five other landlords have similar charges pending and a further 21 have been reported to the procurator-fiscal. Shafiur Rehman, the landlord fined, faces possi ble further action for continuing to rent his HMO to the same tenants despite the fine.

Licences, which cost £1,700 for three years, are required by landlords who rent properties with four or more tenants ­ this coming down to three or more tenants from October.

Meanwhile two landlords have been fined £250 after being taken to court by Conwy Council for failing to register their HMO properties.

'Landlords who do not apply to register their properties, or fail to carry out work to improve their properties to the required standards, will be prevented from operating as a house in multiple occupation', said Conwy chief building and housing regulation officer Gareth Griffiths.
 

other artilces from the April / May 2003 issue

• Competent regulation
• Private landlords set for 'selective licensing'
• Local crackdowns on HMO landlords
• Property prospects better in the north
• Landlords shop for best mortgages
• DTI acts against property investment companies
• Letting returns put at over 20 per cent
• Average house tops £145,00
• London landlord given life sentence
• Government admits to wider anti-social problems
• In brief