Housing: Multiple Occupation

House of Lords written question – answered at on 27 March 2006.

Alert me about debates like this

Photo of Baroness Scott of Needham Market Baroness Scott of Needham Market Spokesperson in the Lords, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What representations they have received from local authorities looking to extend their houses in multiple occupation licensing scheme to smaller properties under Section 56 of the Housing Act 2004.

Photo of Baroness Andrews Baroness Andrews Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister)

The Government have not yet received any formal representations from local authorities looking to use the discretionary powers provided by Section 56 of the Housing Act to extend houses in multiple occupation (HMO) licensing to smaller properties that will fall outside the scope of mandatory licensing. These powers are expected to come into force in April 2006.

However, in December 2003, the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister carried out an information-gathering exercise aimed at providing further understanding of the impact of the HMO licensing proposals in the Housing Act on local authorities. As part of the exercise, local authorities were asked for their views on how they might use the discretionary powers provided in the Act to apply additional licensing to smaller HMOs in their areas.

The following 28 authorities indicated their intention to make use of the additional licensing powers in their areas:

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham

London Borough of Hillingdon

Royal Borough of Kingston Upon Thames

London Borough of Haringey

West Lindsey District Council

Cheltenham Borough Council

Birmingham City Council

East Riding of Yorkshire Council

Bolton Metropolitan Borough Council

Alnwick District Council

Manchester City Council

Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council

West Oxford District Council

Hull City Council

South Oxfordshire District Council

Edmundsbury Borough Council

Preston City Council

Hynburn Borough Council

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council

Breckland District Council

Sevenoaks Borough Council

Torbay Council

Huntingdonshire District Council

Hereford Council

Southampton City Council

Sunderland City Council

Redditch Borough Council

Worcester City Council

Blackpool Borough Council

Guildford Borough Council

In addition, the following local authorities indicated that they might consider applying additional licensing to smaller HMOs in their areas in the future:

Canterbury City Council

North West Leicestershire District Council

Rushmoor Borough Council

Lancaster City Council

Nottingham City Council

Exeter City Council

Torridge District Council

The Government are aware that the IDeA, government offices and the anti-social behaviour unit of the Home Office recently wrote to all local authorities to find out their intentions about introducing additional HMO licensing in their areas. They are now waiting for responses from the authorities.

Does this answer the above question?

Yes0 people think so

No0 people think not

Would you like to ask a question like this yourself? Use our Freedom of Information site.