You are here: Home - News -

Slough residents asked to report overcrowded HMOs

by:
  • 01/06/2020
  • 0
Slough residents asked to report overcrowded HMOs
Slough council is encouraging residents at home during the lockdown to blow the whistle on overcrowded HMOs.

 

The housing regulations team has been restricted from carrying out its normal process of investigating landlords who are managing unregulated homes.

Instead residents are being asked to contact the housing regulations team if they notice multiple families are being crammed into overcrowded houses.

The borough has 3,000 houses in multiple occupation (HMO) which require the landlord to have a council issued licence. While many landlords have been granted the licence some have not applied.

Slough brought in licences last year to raise the standards and safety of properties for some of the most vulnerable tenants and reduce anti-social behaviour sometimes associated with HMOs.

Councillor Mohammed Nazir, cabinet member for housing and community safety, said: “During the lockdown with people at home during the day, they may have spotted a property where several families live in poor conditions.

“These are the people we want to help by getting their landlords to obtain licences which means there have been basic checks made to assess the standard is acceptable.

“In addition, unregulated homes can be at the centre of anti-social behaviour in neighbourhoods.”

Under the additional licence scheme the licence fee for each HMO property of up to six rooms is £450 for a licence fee plus a £300 enforcement fee. There is an additional charge of £30 per extra room after the initial six.

Residents can report any suspected unlicensed property to the housing regulation team by emailing privatesectorhousing1@slough.gov.uk.

 

There are 0 Comment(s)

You may also be interested in