Private landlords who rent out properties in Central West Bromwich are being reminded to check if they need to apply for a license under a new scheme being introduced by Sandwell Council from 1 July.
Private landlords who rent out properties in Central West Bromwich are being reminded to check if they need to apply for a license under a new scheme being introduced by Sandwell Council from 1 July.
Under the Additional Licensing Scheme, properties where three or four people live and share amenities such as kitchens and bathrooms are classed as a small House in Multiple Occupations or HMOs.
Landlords who rent such properties in and around the High Street and town center areas of West Bromwich are being reminded to register for a license in advance of the scheme getting underway.
The council has introduced the Additional Licensing scheme because there’s been a rapid growth in the number of all types of HMOs in Sandwell in recent years. While most of them are a good standard and well managed, others are not leading to concerns about tenants’ safety, problems for neighbors, and complaints being made to the council.
The cost of a five-year license will be £893.35, paid in two stages with discounts of up to £155 available for landlords who are members of accredited landlord schemes.
Councillor Charn Singh Padda, Sandwell’s cabinet member for quality housing, said: “While most landlords already provide good quality, safe properties, we know that some do not.
“We want to work with landlords to ensure their property is of sufficient quality and that tenants are safe. We can help them to be sure that all the licensing conditions and management regulations are followed.”
The introduction of the scheme follows an extensive 12-week consultation that took place in January-April 2020.
Large Houses in Multiple Occupations – where five or more people live – already require landlords to apply for a mandatory license from the council.
Landlords who come under the new scheme will be able to make applications for licenses from April onwards with the scheme being legally enforced from 1 July.
If you live in such property please get in touch with your landlord or us to see if it falls under this scheme