Council makes its first Interim Management Order to take over running of HMO following failings of landlord – Local Government Lawyer

‘Coventry City Council has made its first Interim Management order following what it described as a landlord’s “persistent failure” to licence a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in the area.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th October 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Rent Repayment Orders in the Upper Tribunal again. – OUT-LAW.com

Posted October 11th, 2022 in appeals, houses in multiple occupation, news, rent, repayment by tracey

‘A couple of appeals on rent repayment orders. The first confirming the UT’s approach to assessing what proportion of rent an RRO should be made for. The second on whether someone could be said to be in control or managing an unlicensed HMO where it was not clear or evidenced that the person received a rack rent.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 5th October 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Property Guardians and HMOs – on we go. – Nearly Legal

Posted October 11th, 2022 in houses in multiple occupation, licensing, local government, news by tracey

‘Global Guardians Management Ltd & Ors v London Borough of Hounslow & Ors (2022) UKUT 259 (LC). This was Global Guardians’ appeal of an FTT decisions that occupation by property guardians was capable of making a property a licensable HMO, and that Global Guardians (and Global 100) were in control and/or management of the property. This was in two matters – one being Global’s appeal of civil penalties imposed by LB Hounslow, and the other being rent payment orders made against Global 100 in favour of guardian occupiers.’

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Nearly Legal, 5th October 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Tribunal upholds fixed penalties imposed on HMO landlord for property management failures but reduces amount payable – Local Government Lawyer

Posted August 30th, 2022 in houses in multiple occupation, local government, news, penalties, repairs by tracey

‘A landlord has been ordered to pay £23,000 for failing to maintain two Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) after Tendring District Council took action.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th August 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Property Guardians and HMOs – they are, you know – Nearly Legal

‘Global 100 Ltd v Jimenez & Ors (HOUSING – HOUSE IN MULTIPLE OCCUPATION – RENT REPAYMENT ORDER – “property guardians”) (2022) UKUT 50 (LC) In which Global 100, flushed by their win in the Court of Appeal in Global 100 Ltd v Laleva (2021) EWCA Civ 1835 (our note), appealed a First Tier Tribunal decision that a commercial office building, in which 10-12 guardians were living, was an unlicensed HMO and rent repayment orders followed.’

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Nearly Legal, 2nd March 2022

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Private landlord ordered to pay £65k after breaching planning enforcement notice over unlawful HMO – Local Government Lawyer

‘A landlord has been ordered to pay more than £64,000 for breaching a planning enforcement notice served on a property in Barking being used illegally as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th January 2022

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Rent Repayment Orders – not ALL the rent – Nearly Legal

Posted October 12th, 2021 in houses in multiple occupation, landlord & tenant, licensing, news, rent, repayment by sally

‘The RRO application was by the six former tenants of an unlicensed HMO. Conditions at the property had also meant they asked the local authority EHO to inspect, which resulted in (a) the tenants being informed the property was not licensed, (b) a “Preliminary Improvement Notice” listing a number of defects to be remedied, including two category 1 HHSRS hazards (fire safety and excessive cold), and Cc) a finding that one of the bedrooms was too small for the licensing scheme. (The landlord, self described as a “professional landlord” with a “modest portfolio” of properties, did apply for a licence in February 2020, shortly before the tenants left in March 2020, but the application was rejected on the room size and the lack of remedial works).’

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Nearly Legal, 11th October 2021

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Landlords win appeals over “unfair” FTT proceedings where – in absence of hearing – criminal offences found to have been committed – Local Government Lawyer

‘Three private landlords have won appeals at the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) over whether the criminal standard of proof was met in rent disputes at the First Tier Tribunal (FTT).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Landlord loses appeal over rent repayment order for HMO occupied by tenants housed at direction of council – Local Government Lawyer

‘Sefton Metropolitan Borough Council has secured more than £13,000 in a rent repayment order after the failure of an appeal against it.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 25th February 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Court of Appeal dismisses appeal by company director over £99k penalties for breaches of HMO regulations, non-compliance with enforcement notices – Local Government Lawyer

‘The Court of Appeal has rejected a company director’s appeal over penalties amounting to £99,000 imposed by the Upper Tribunal for breaches of regulations covering houses in multiple occupation (HMOs), and non-compliance with enforcement notices.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 13th January 2021

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

The Impact of COVID-19 on Landlords of Students Occupying HMOs – 4-5 Gray’s Inn Square

Posted July 30th, 2020 in coronavirus, houses in multiple occupation, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘Measures brought in to tackle the pandemic meant that universities, much like everyone else, had to implement policies of working or learning remotely. These are likely to continue at varying extents across England for the 2020-2021 academic year. If students, in particular those residing otherwise abroad, do not need to attend lectures in person, and face difficulties in returning to England due to travel restrictions, then this is likely to raise an issue for landlords of HMOs targeted at that sector of the market. This is because students renting a room in shared accommodation or those who had agreed to do so for the next academic year are likely to try to surrender their lease. Where does this leave the landlords?’

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4-5 Gray's Inn Square, 17th July 2020

Source: www.4-5.co.uk

I want it all – Nearly Legal

‘Ms Stewart and others were tenants of Mr V. The property was an unlicensed HMO and the tenants had applied for an RRO. The FTT had awarded a rent repayment order and the landlord appealed, on the basis that the amount he was ordered to pay was excessive in view of the amounts he had spent on the property. The tenants were assisted by University of London Housing Services.’

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Nearly Legal, 21st June 2020

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

FTT fails natural justice on tenant’s RRO application – Nearly Legal

Posted December 6th, 2019 in houses in multiple occupation, licensing, news, rent, repayment by sally

‘In which the Upper Tribunal gives the First Tier Tribunal a thorough ticking off over its decision on a rent repayment order application.’

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Nearly Legal, 5th December 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Property Guardians, vanishing companies and still getting it wrong – Nearly Legal

‘You may or may not have heard that one of the largest Property Guardian firms put itself (and all its related companies) into voluntary liquidation on 6 November 2019. But that is what Camelot did.’

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Nearly Legal, 5th December 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Council secures £400k+ confiscation order against landlord over house in multiple occupation with 15 tenants – Local Government Lawyer

‘Joint action by Hillingdon Council’s planning enforcement and trading standards teams has seen a Hayes landlord ordered to pay more than £430,000 after she turned her property into an illegal House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).’

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Local Government Lawyer, 2nd December 2019

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Can my landlord lock my thermostat in a box? – BBC News

Posted November 6th, 2019 in energy, houses in multiple occupation, landlord & tenant, news by sally

‘In a multi-occupancy dwelling like Alex’s, the landlord is permitted to control the heating, with no rules against boxing off the thermostat, experts say. The same is true of a standard rental property with fewer than three tenants, if the landlord pays the bills.’

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BBC News, 5th November 2019

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Unlicensed HMO and date of offence – Nearly Legal

‘Luton Borough Council v Altavon Luton Ltd & Ors (2019) EWHC 2415 (Admin). An appeal by way of case stated from a DJ’s decision at Luton Magistrates. The sole issue was whether the informations in the case had been laid within 6 months “from the time when the offence was committed, or the matter of complaint arose.” (Section 127 of the Magistrates’ Court Act 1980.)’

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Nearly Legal, 6th October 2019

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Councils face a losing battle as they crack down on rogue landlords – The Guardian

‘Despite dawn raids and legal action, the number of unlicensed rentals in houses of multiple occupation continues to grow.’

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The Guardian, 7th April 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Council loses Supreme Court battle over HMO licence conditions – Local Government Lawyer

‘Nottingham City Council has lost a Supreme Court case over whether it was right to prohibit the use of two attics as bedrooms.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 11th October 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Service not included – Nearly Legal

Posted August 10th, 2018 in fees, houses in multiple occupation, housing, licensing, local government, news by sally

‘The issue was the level of fees charged by LB Richmond on Thames for an HMO licence. LB Richmond maintained that the fee level could be set at a level designed to cover not only the costs of processing his application but also to contribute towards the costs of LB Richmond running its HMO licensing scheme more generally, including enforcement. Mr G, the landlord, maintained that the fee could only be set at a level covering the costs of processing the application.’

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Nearly Legal, 9th August 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk