As from January 1, landlords of any houses of multiple occupation (HMOs) in Rhyl must apply for the additional license, which aims to raise management and amenity standards for tenants and to ensure that HMOs are being kept to the required standards.
This scheme shall be applied to the town of Rhyl and will include properties that meet all of the criteria, within either one of the following two categories:
– 3 or more storeys, which is occupied by 3 or more persons who form 2 or more separate households, where at least 1 of the households is not fully self contained (where there may be sharing of facilities)
OR
– 3 or more storeys, which is occupied by 3 or more persons who form 2 or more separate households, which are fully self contained, but do not meet the 1991 Building Regulations and where less than two-thirds of the self contained flats are owner occupied.
If you are a tenant who lives in this type of property please contact the authority to check if you property may need a licence.
While there are many good landlords in the private sector, there are still cases of HMOs being poorly managed and in poor physical condition – and in the worst cases, putting tenant’s lives at risk.
Since additional licensing came into force, all owners, landlords or agents of properties in the Rhyl area should seek advice from the Council regarding the licensing of HMOs. Failure to get a licence could result in your property being closed down and up to £20,000 fine.
By introducing this additional licensing the authority is aiming to make it much clearer for responsible landlords to know whether their properties need to be licensed and to close loopholes for rogue landlords who don’t want to properly manage or maintain their property to the right standard.
To apply for a property licence or to inform us of a property which may need a licence, please contact the Housing Enforcement Team on 01824 706389, or e-mail: [email protected], or visit www.denbighshire.gov.uk to download an application form.
