In May Redbridge Council gave a green light to introduce an Additional HMO licensing scheme in the borough. It came into force in September. A new selective property licensing scheme also came into effect on 1st November. Landlords and investors should ensure they are aware of license requirements and comply with the rules. We want to have a closer look at them here, then if you want guaranteed rent in Redbridge you can come to us.

What is it?

Councils use licensing schemes to ensure landlords have to get a license for their properties. This provides a number of benefits.

The most important thing is each landlord will need to meet the relevant standards to obtain a license. Crucially, properties must be a sufficient size and in a habitable condition. If there are issues, licenses won’t be issued.

Licensing is also a way to tackle major issues such as poor management of properties, crime, and anti-social behaviour. It ensures landlords have to meet the right standards to comply with the license. If they don’t, they can face serious penalties, including fines and sanctions.

The two schemes

Redbridge Council’s Additional HMO licensing scheme covers HMOs in the whole borough. These are properties where multiple occupiers from different households share facilities like bathrooms and kitchens. It can be any kind of property, including houses as well as converted blocks of flats.

The selective property licensing scheme is broader but only for two wards. It covers almost all rental properties with single household occupiers in Ilford Town and Valentines. Any rental property that doesn’t have a Mandatory or Additional HMO license must get a selective one. Applications to get a license opened on 1st November.

There is a lot of useful information about the licensing on the Redbridge Council website.

Existing licenses

Some landlords will already have a license. In these cases they must check to see if they need to get an additional one. At the same time they must continue to comply with the terms of the current license.

The new selective licensing in Ilford Town and Valentines does not invalidate existing licenses. If you have one, it will remain valid until the expiry date. You then need to think about getting a new one.

Planning permission

It is also important to note that there are rules to turn properties into HMOs. Previously property owners could use their permitted development rights to do a conversion. However, these no longer apply to any property, regardless of size. Owners must get permission.

Choose guaranteed rent in Redbridge

As you can see, the world of being a private landlord in Redbridge can be a tricky one. The Council has a number of schemes to police the industry and also tackle major issues. It is important to ensure you know about the licenses and obtain any you need.

An alternative option here is to choose to work with us and the local council. It can be a much easier choice with fewer responsibilities. More importantly, it can give you the comfort of rent guarantees, reliable property management, and fewer costs.

So, if you want to find out more about guaranteed rent in Redbridge, let us know. We can work with you to make the arrangements.