The Warwick Council has recently announced plans to increase the fee for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licencing from £1,000 to £1,116. This change is set to come into effect from April 2020 and will affect all HMOs in the area.
HMOs are properties that are rented out to three or more people who are not related. These properties are subject to additional regulations and licencing fees due to the higher risk of overcrowding and potential health and safety issues. The Warwick Council has stated that the fee increase is necessary to cover the costs of additional inspections and enforcement activities that are required to ensure that these properties are safe and compliant with regulations.
The Council has also stated that the fee increase will help to ensure that all HMOs in the area are properly licenced and regulated. This is important as it helps to protect tenants from unscrupulous landlords who may not be providing safe and compliant housing.
The fee increase has been met with some criticism from local landlords, who argue that the cost of licencing is too high and will put an additional burden on them. However, the Council has argued that the fee increase is necessary to ensure that all HMOs in the area are properly licenced and regulated.
Overall, the Warwick Council’s decision to increase the HMO licencing fee is an important step in ensuring that all HMOs in the area are properly licenced and regulated. This will help to protect tenants from unscrupulous landlords and ensure that all HMOs are safe and compliant with regulations.