Issue - meetings

Minute 262 refers

RESOLVED – that the draft revised policy for private sector housing enforcement, as now detailed, be adopted.

The Executive Member for Health, Housing and Community Support submitted a report reviewing the Council’s Private Sector Housing Enforcement Policy and seeking approval for the draft revised policy.

The Executive Member detailed the proposed changes to the policy and explained that consultation was still ongoing.  As a result of a comment received from a neighbouring local authority, she suggested an amendment to paragraph 14.8 of the policy relating to Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing, so that it read as follows:

Licences will normally be valid for 5 years from the date the licence was required i.e. from when evidence has demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Council that the property first became a licensable HMO with the current owner.  To avoid impractically short licence periods, the minimum period of such a licence will normally be 2 years.  Where an HMO has been operating without a licence we will, depending on the circumstances, normally give the opportunity to apply for a licence before considering formal action, in the form of a Simple Caution or prosecution.  If the Landlord has pro-actively approached the Council for a licence an informal approach will be adopted so long as the application is duly made within 21 days.  Exceptional circumstances that have resulted in a delayed application will be considered by the Environmental Health Manager.

The Executive supported the revised policy as now detailed.

RECOMMENDED – that the draft revised policy for private sector housing enforcement, as now detailed, be adopted.