City of Cardiff Council is to introduce an Additional Licensing Scheme covering Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in the Plasnewydd Community Ward with effect from November 3, 2014.
The scheme, which will run for 5 years, is an extension of a scheme that has been operating successfully in the Cathays area of the city since March 2010 and will require anyone who owns or manages an HMO in the area to apply to the Council for a licence.
Cabinet Member for Environment, Cllr Bob Derbyshire, said: “Plasnewydd is an area of the city that has a large student population living in private rented accommodation, many of them in Houses in Multiple Occupation. Although there are many good landlords out there, our research indicates that more than a third of HMOs would fail to meet Decent Homes Standards. Additional Licensing has proven to be an effective means of improving accommodation standards in Cathays so it makes sense to extend the scheme to neighbouring areas of the city.”
The Cathays scheme has seen tenants in 467 HMOs benefit from improved means of escape in case of fire; 372 properties have had kitchen, bathroom and toilet facilities upgraded; security improvements have been made to 249 properties; affordable warmth and energy efficiency improvements have been made to 217 HMOs and 1030 hazards identified during inspections have been removed. Noise complaints, pest control complaints and burglaries in the area have all been on a downward trend as well and these benefits are expected to be replicated in Plasnewydd once the scheme is introduced.
Landlords applying for a licence will have to satisfy the Council that the HMO is reasonably suitable for occupation by the number of people under the proposed licence, pass a “fit and proper” person test and pay a licence fee (currently £560 – £770 per property for a 5 year licence).
