Council reveals total fines over £200K during four-year HMO clampdown
Haringey Council in London says landlords faced more than 40 fines for failing to hold an HMO licence.
A London borough has fined landlords more than £200,000 for HMO licensing failures.
Haringey Council has revealed it issued 43 penalties for not securing a licence totalling £207,500.
To date, 59 warnings were given to landlords who rented out an unlicensed HMO property.
The local authority in North London says it has targeted landlords who do not fulfil their legal responsibilities.
Strengthen
With the use of Civil Penalty Notices (CPN), this helps strengthen the private rented sector and protect residents in the borough, it says.
Landlords who rent their HMO’s without a licence are not only at risk of receiving a CPN from the council, but could be instructed to pay back rent to tenants.
Protect
Sarah Williams, cabinet member for housing services, private renters and planning, says: “We will do everything in our power to protect our residents in the private rented sector in Haringey.”
She says the HMO licensing scheme provides the council with a good platform to help tenants.
“Whilst we continue this journey to improve housing standards across the borough, we will fight for renters’ rights and ensure residents across Haringey live in homes that are well managed, of good quality and most of all, safe.
Rogue landlords will not be tolerated in Haringey.”
“As shown with this case, landlords who fail to comply will face tough enforcement action. Rogue landlords will not be tolerated in Haringey.”
Last year, Haringey announced that letting agents and their landlord clients will have to abide by a selective licensing scheme to include measures requiring those with low or non-existent EPCs to upgrade them.
