HMO Landlord Programme

The Grenfell Tower fire in June 2017 left the nation in shock. The loss of life was beyond reason and whilst the public enquiry is underway both social landlords, private landlords and block managers are naturally questioning whether they are doing enough to protect their tenants from fire.

The legislation on fire safety is complex with different buildings/property types being subject to different laws and regulations, this can leave landlords and letting agents confused as to what fire safety precautions they must take.

Course Content

This eLearning course is designed to give landlords and agents a basic overview of:

• The different legislation relating to fire safety including Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) order 2005, HMO Manager regulations and Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) regulations 2015
• The different building/property types and which pieces of the above legislation apply
• How to conduct fire risk assessments and protect both your tenants and your property from fire
• Practical tips on fire safety and with reference to the LACORS fire safety guide

Objectives

• This course ensures landlords/agents understand which pieces of fire safety legislation relate to specific property types/buildings and can be used for future reference
• To know when a fire risk assessment is required and an overview of how they should be completed and by whom
• To understand what practical steps are required to protect both property and tenants from fire risk

Suitable for

• This course is essential for all landlords whether they rent property as single dwellings, HMO or blocks.
• All managing and letting agents
• Block managers

A house in multiple occupation (HMO) is property with multiple tenants who do not form one single family or household. Investments in houses under multiple occupancy can be very profitable with high returns on investment, but the management of HMO is far stricter for the landlord and anyone managing the property i.e. Letting/Managing Agent.

Course content

This online course is designed to give landlords and agents a basic overview of:

• Definition of a small HMO
• Definition of a large HMO and mandatory licensing
• HMO manager regulations
• Additional and Selective licensing
• Applying for a licence
• Includes an interactive flowchart for establishing if a property requires a licence.

For the more established HMO Landlord looking for knowledge on property inspections by the local authority and property standards, this is covered in the Principles of HMOs course.

Objectives

• Understanding the difference between small and large HMOs
• Being able to identify the type of licence required for type of property
• The pros and cons of investing in HMOs
• HMO manager regulation responsibilities and how to avoid penalties

This course is suitable for

• New landlords who have purchased (or are considering purchasing) an HMO.
• New letting agent employees who will be managing client HMO properties.
• Existing agents considering taking on HMO properties on behalf of clients.

This eLearning course covers all aspects of tenancy and property management and is broken down into simple sections, each containing interactive exercises, quizzes and an assessment, which on successful completion, will earn you a certificate to prove you have successfully completed the course. This course provides vital core CPD points required by the Residential Landlords Association Accreditation Scheme (RLAAS) and is recognised by other schemes.

Course Content

The course covers the following topics:

• Pre-tenancy - preparing the property for renting, and details the checks that need to be carried out.
• Setting up a tenancy - this covers the different kinds of tenancies, and also goes through pre-tenancy actions such as protecting a deposit.
• Landlord repairing obligations and Health & Safety issues - this includes HHSRS, and fire, gas and electrical safety, and other safety requirements as well as your repairing obligations.
• During the tenancy - how to deal with problems which may occur during the tenancy.
• Ending a tenancy - this section covers the correct way to end a tenancy, including an explanation of the different notices and how to avoid claims of harassment and illegal eviction.

Objectives

This course aims to explain the landlord's obligations and requirements in relation to their tenants, properties and any agents they use. The course takes you on a journey through pre, during and post-tenancy scenarios.

It's designed to meet and follow ANUK standards. This course will give you 5 basic CPD points. However, by successfully completing the assessments your points will be upgraded to 5 core CPD points. These core points can be used towards accreditation with RLAAS.

What's the difference between basic and core CPD points? Read RLAAS' guide to CPD points.

HMO landlords must comply with the same obligations placed on all landlords relating to the health and safety of their properties. However there is an extra layer of regulation to ensure that HMO are safe for sharers.

Landlords and property managers of HMO face steep penalties for non-compliance with safety measures and may also be subject to licence conditions. This course provides an overview of the various pieces of legislation affecting property standards in HMO.

Course Content

The course is appropriate for landlords and agents of HMO or for those with mixed portfolios and covers:

1. S11 Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 - explaining the basic repairing obligations
2. Defective Premises Act 1972 - how tenants can seek compensation if they suffer injury, harm or loss
3. HMO Manager Regulations - the additional layer of regulations affecting HMO of all sizes, irrespective of licensing.
4. The Housing Health and Safety Rating System, Housing Act 2004 - the Local Authority risk based approach to assessing properties for hazards. Property that require a licence are highly likely to be assessed under this legislation.
5. Overview of gas and electrical safety
6. Minimum room sizes in HMO
7. Introduction to fire safety in HMO
8. Tenants behaving in a 'tenant like manner'
9. How to obtain access for repairs

Objectives

This online course will allow learners to:

1. Break down the key pieces of legislation on property standards for HMO to provide a clear understanding of obligations.
2. Understand the additional obligations placed on HMO landlords such as fire safety and minimum room sizes.
3. Know what they can expect from tenants in terms of access and behaving in a tenant like manner.

Suitable for

Landlords, managing agents and property managers of HMO and/or licensable property.