Last year the Government proposed to reform property licensing by extending mandatory licensing of houses in multiple occupation (HMO). They have now issued a consultation document on how they intend to implement their proposals.

All responses to the paper should be submitted no later than 13 December 2016 either using the online survey https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LicensingHMOs or by e-mail to HMOLicensing@communities.gsi.gov.uk

In its latest consultation on HMO and residential property licensing reforms, the Government outlines plans to make the following changes through secondary legislation, so as to increase the number of properties that are subject to mandatory licensing.

• Remove the storey rule so all houses (regardless of how many floors) with five or more people from two or more households are within the scope of the new legislation. The Department for Communities and Local Government says this will further enable local authorities to tackle poor standards, migration and the problems being seen in high risk smaller properties as the sector has grown
• Extend mandatory licensing to flats above and below business premises (regardless of storeys), -as the evidence shows more problems in these properties
• Setting a minimum room size of 6.52sq-m in line with the existing overcrowding standard (Housing Act 1985) to close a loophole recently created by an upper-tier tribunal ruling which is enabling some landlords to let rooms far too small for an adult to legally occupy. 

It has been proposed that the order come into force either in April or October 2017, and a grace period of six months would exist to give landlords time to apply for a licence

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