News from the Residential Property Investor, the bi-monthly magazine for RLA members other artilces from the October / November 03 issue RPI news archive

HMO properties go missing - October / November 2003

Licensing of HMO properties in Scotland could be leading to wholesale withdrawal of such lettings.

With the September end deadline for licensing properties with three or more unrelated people now past (those with four or more unrelated people should already have been licensed), Glasgow is reporting only 2,000 applications have been received out of an estimated 3,500 HMO properties. Licences can cost up to £1,700 but the fine for operating without a licence can be up to £5,000.

Glasgow City Council is saying it will be tracking down landlords who have not complied and is encouraging tenants and neighbours with HMO worries to contact the council.

However, local letting agents report that many residential landlords are either selling their HMO properties or letting only to single families.

Figures published in July show that by the end of March only 2,859 HMO licensing applications had been received in the whole of Scotland.
 

other artilces from the October / November 03 issue

• The news is...tenants can be ruthless too
• Leaseholders gain right of challenge
• In brief
• Rental demand moves ahead
• Deposit action urged
• Summer leaves insurers with that sinking feeling
• HMO properties go missing
• Mould warning
• Remortgaging to boost returns