How HMO Landlords can avoid large fines!

A Landlord in the Devon area has recently been instructed by a court to pay out £150,000 in costs, following a fire in his property which resulted in Tenants being forced to clamber over a roof to safety, as the blaze took hold.

A safety audit of the premises raised a number of issues which breeched the terms and conditions of the Landlords HMO license, issued by the council to regulate the property. Items such as missing fire extinguishers and inappropriate fire exits left the Landlord with no option but to plead guilty to the offences.

‘Homes of Multiple Occupancy’ can require licensing by the appropriate council. It is important that any Landlords with sharers occupying their property are aware of their responsibility to register the property and obtain the correct licensing.

Each council has a different set of rules on what type of property is classed as a licensable HMO, so Landlords with properties under different councils will need to check each one. Most importantly a Landlord must be certain that they are complying fully with the terms of the license once received.

Having your Property Managed by a professional Agent used to dealing with such matters on a daily basis can be invaluable!

Contact Peter Licourinos of Prospect Investors Club on 0118 955 9712 to discuss how he can assist with the management of your property.