Landlord Licensing

In certain boroughs of London, landlords who let residential properties need to hold a property license. Croydon is the latest borough to adopt the scheme alongside Newham and Waltham Forest. There is a cost associated with these licences and they can vary by borough, information about this can be found on your council’s website. We can facilitate this for you if required.

The License will aim to ensure that:

• Anti-social behavior is dealt with effectively
• Tenants’ health, safety and welfare are safeguarded
• Landlords are ‘fit and proper persons’ or employ agents who are
• Adequate property and tenancy management arrangements are in place
• Accommodation is suitable for the number of occupiers
• All landlords and managing agents operate at the same minimum level of professional standards

Some properties are exempt from needing a license under Part Three of the Housing Act 2004.  

Those exemptions are;

• The house is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
• A temporary exemption notice is in force (s.62 or s.86 Housing Act 2004)
• A management order is in force (s.102 or s.113 Housing Act 2004)
• The tenancies or licenses are granted by registered social landlords
• The tenancies and licenses are subject to a prohibition order whose operation has not been suspended. (s.20/s.21 Housing Act 2004)
• The tenancy is a business tenancy
• Certain premises licensed for alcohol consumption (only on-licenses not off-licenses)
• Certain agricultural tenancies
• Buildings controlled or managed by a Local Housing Authority
• Buildings controlled or managed by the Police
• Buildings controlled or managed by the Fire Brigade
• Buildings controlled or managed by a Health Service Body
• Certain University/College accommodation occupied by students
• Where the owner or his relatives occupy a property on a long leasehold
• Where the landlord lets to certain relatives
• Holiday homes
• Where the landlord/licensor or his relative lives at the property and shares facilities

The deadline to apply is the 1^st October 2015, the cost of the license is £750 for 5 years, and this is reduced to £350 if you register early, before the 30^th September.

If you are affected and you are yet to apply for your license, let us take the stress away. We can apply for the license for you and fill out all the paperwork required, ensuring you are covered and won’t face any future penalties or fines. Failure to comply with the new license conditions could result in a fine up to £20,000.

For a one off fee of £238.80 (inc VAT) our property management experts can ensure that you are covered and avoid any penalties. Contact us today on property.licences@countrywide.co.uk to discuss your options and protect your property investment.

Please note; Any person who operates a licensable property without a licence will be guilty of an offence under section 95(1) of the amended Housing Act 2004, and shall be liable for prosecution. Upon conviction a fine not exceeding £20,000 could be enforced. Any person who breaches a condition of the licence is liable to prosecution which could result in a fine not exceeding £5,000. In addition you will be unable to terminate a tenancy under the section 21 notice process for a property if you do not have a licence. You should also be aware that the tenants will be able to complain to the Council about the condition of the property, so you may wish to take advantage of the full property management service that we can offer you.