Westminster council is launching a public consultation to renew its borough-wide Additional Licensing Scheme for smaller HMOs – with landlords expected to pay £1,540 for a licence to operate.
The total fee is divided into two parts paid at different stages of the application process.
For a licence covering up to 5 bedrooms, the fees are Part A: £855 – paid at the time of application to cover the costs of processing and property inspection; and Part B: £685 – paid after the application is processed and before the licence is issued. For HMOs with more than five lettings, there is an additional fee of £68 per extra bedroom.
A council statement says: “Developed as part of the Private Rented Sector Strategy 2021-2025, the additional HMO scheme aims to tackle poor housing conditions and reduce anti-social behaviour through setting a common standard for HMOs (focussed on their specific risks), increasing interventions and targeting rogue landlords. The council estimates that over 56,000 homes (43% of all residential accommodation in the City) is in the private rented sector, and it is committed to improving the living conditions of the many residents in this sector.”
Earlier this year, Westminster’s Labour-led council launched a new selective licensing scheme which will take effect this November in 15 wards.
It will apply to all properties in the private rented sector unless already licensed as part of the national HMO licensing scheme (for large homes) or the current additional HMO scheme that was introduced in 2021.
A spokesperson for the council says: “Everyone deserves to live in safe and well-managed homes. Since 2021, the Additional Licensing Scheme has improved over 900 HMOs and protected over 12,000 tenants in Westminster through our direct intervention and as good landlords comply with the requirements of the scheme.
“With the largest private rented sector in the country, the council is committed to driving up housing standards and creating a safer, fairer private rented sector. We are determined to continue with the achievements we have made.”
The consultation on smaller HMO licensing ends on. November 12.
This article is taken from Landlord Today