Navigating a dispute with council over HMO Licensing?

Hi, recently, I found myself in a frustrating situation with Brent Council regarding the licensing of a property I rent out.

After applying for and paying for a Selective Licence for my property, which is rented to a family, the council conducted an inspection. During the inspection, they spoke with one of the residents who, unfortunately, had limited English skills, leading to a misunderstanding about the nature of the household.

Based on this interaction, the Licensing Compliance Officer mistakenly assumed that the occupants were part of separate households, rather than members of the same family, and thus, required an HMO (House in Multiple Occupation) licence.

Following the inspection, I received an email from the council officer stating that I needed to apply for an HMO licence. Perplexed by this, I immediately contacted the lead tenant to confirm the living arrangements. The lead tenant sent me a detailed email clarifying that everyone residing in the property is related, and they live together as one family unit.

I forwarded this information to the council, explaining the misunderstanding and asserting that the current Selective Licence should be sufficient, as the property does not meet the criteria for an HMO licence. However, despite this clarification, I received a reply insisting that I still needed to apply for an HMO licence.

The Licensing Compliance Officer even threatened that failure to comply within a week could lead to severe consequences, including a Civil Penalty Notice (CPN) with fines up to £30,000, or potentially prosecution with an unlimited fine and a criminal record.

This situation has left me feeling that the council is unfairly pushing for an HMO licence without properly considering the facts or giving clear explanations. I’m reaching out to others who may have had similar experiences or any advice on how to address this issue effectively. Has anyone dealt with a similar dispute with a local council, and how did you handle it?

Any guidance would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Mohammed

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