Accused of HMO by Newham – Help

Accused of HMO by Newham – Help

10:48 AM, 28th June 2017, About 7 years ago 22

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I have a buy to let in Newham and I have a Selective Licence. I rented out my property to a family of 2 and their family friend so that’s 3 tenants in total in May 2017. I included all the names of the tenants in the Tenancy Agreement.

Newham Council Enforcement Team have told me the house is HMO because I included all the names of the tenants and they intend to prosecute me, the prosecution process is now with their legal team not sure what that means. I have tried on numerous occasion to speak with the Enforcement Officer to remedy the situation but she wasn’t willing to listen.

The Enforcement Officer seems adamant she wants to take me to court when I tired to contact her for the next step forward. I am surprised having more than one person on the Tenancy Agreement constitutes to HMO and I am also surprised the attitude of the Enforcement Officer and Newham Council.

My view on Property Licencing Scheme has dramatically changed from this experience. I feel the Property Licence Scheme doesn’t always serve the best interests of Tenants or Landlords.

I wanted to know the best way to deal with Newham Council. They seem to be very unhelpful. I have written an email to Newham Council last week and I am waiting for their reply.

Thanks

John


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Comments

Jill Coyne

8:01 AM, 17th July 2017, About 7 years ago

Reply to the comment left by "John " at "02/07/2017 - 14:13":

I agree we should get together on this but not sure how to do this. Additionally, the other aspect for landlords trying to let a 4 bed house with a selective license is that not many young families with a single parent working can afford a four bed house and this is when the the grass farmers move in, fronting their operation with a fake family. Is that the council's plan? I mean, it's obvious in Newham, isn't it?
(I think the council should be taken to court for this).
Of course a group of siblings & partners who are all working can afford a 4 bed, as can any group of sharers. But the unrelated groups end up with nowhere to stay as there aren't enough 4 bed houses available to them. There are still lots of good young people trying to find a l decent house to live in. This licensing is a crime.

Urban Landlord

10:32 AM, 13th March 2021, About 3 years ago

reigniting this topic

Newham contacted my new tenants last week via a dear occupants letter stating that the house was not supposed to be used as an HMO. Luckily the tenant sent me a screenshot of the letter and I duly contacted Newham planning. The tone of the corresodance was you will not get planning but you should apply anyway. I sent 10 years worth of HMO tenancy agreements to which the response was when will you evict your tenants and reinstate as a HMO till I said that it was let pre and post the article 4 date of July 31st 2013 and never let to a single family.

I also had the correct license from 2018 prior to which I had an incorrect selective license which in 2018 licensing contacted me telling me I had the wrong license. I had made a mistake and got a selective license.

After I pushed back and said please explain why I need to evict the tenants etc they relented and said they made a mistake and said everything was OK.

I had been trying to contact them for a week with no responses to phone calls or emails and I was quite stressed out.

My point of this message is do not panic if you were letting out a property from July 2013 in NEwham even if you had the wrong or no license. Also the house I rent out is stunning and just had an £80k renvation and we rent it out to 4 professional freinds. The council policies are so draconian and negative that they would want me to evict these tenants who love the house and are hard working professionals but would be happy if I gave the house to a huge family of benefit tenants! I find the entire thing f...ing ridiculous.

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