The UK Government it to introduce minimum room sizes for shared homes as part of a national clamp down on rogue landlords cramming tenants into unsafe and overcrowded homes.
Housing Minister Gavin Barwell said that the measures, affecting England and not the rest of the country, will strengthen councils’ ability to tackle problem homes head-on and bring an end to ruthless landlords who exploit tenants and charge them extortionate rents to live in poor conditions.
Proposals published today will mean that landlords renting homes to five or more people from two or more households would have to be licenced and a minimum room size set at 6.52 square metres, closing a loophole which lets some landlords let out rooms far too small for an adult to occupy.
‘These measures will give councils the powers they need to tackle poor quality rental homes in their area. By driving out rogue landlords that flout the rules out of business, we are raising standards and giving tenants the protection they need,’ said Barwell.
Other intended measures to help councils raise standards in shared homes include ensuring mandatory licensing rules apply to all shared homes with five or more people from two or more households and to flats above and below shops and other business premises.
Currently licensing only kick-ins for homes with three or more floors and excludes homes attached to businesses unless they are in a three storey building.
Under the proposals landlords of shared homes will also be required to provide decent storage and disposal of rubbish and the fit and proper person test for landlords will be tightened, ensuring criminal record checks are carried out to weed out rogues.
Where a landlord fails to obtain a licence they will be liable to pay a potentially unlimited fine and Barwell said these measures will complement other government efforts to crack down on rogue landlords who cash in on renting out homes to vulnerable people.
More than £5 million of targeted government funding to 48 councils has already brought a big increase in the number of homes checked over three months. In early 2016, more than 33,000 homes were inspected and nearly 2,800 rogue landlords are now facing prosecution for providing substandard homes.
Since 2011 the Government has provided £12 million so local authorities can carry out more raids, issue more statutory notices and demolishing beds in sheds and other prohibited buildings.
In addition the Government is also seeking views on whether the current licensing arrangements for purpose built student accommodation are appropriate.
Powers in the Housing and Planning Act, which are also being introduced will further crackdown on poor quality homes by introducing a database of rogue landlords and property agents, banning orders for the most prolific and serious offenders, penalties of up to £30,000 and extended rent repayment orders.
‘The Government has set out the most ambitious vision for housing in a generation, including £3.5 billion in government backed guarantees to attract more institutional investment into the private rental sector,’ added Barwell.
However, David Cox, managing director of the Association of Residential Letting Agents (ARLA) said that landlord licensing doesn’t work. ‘Councils already have a wide variety of powers to prosecute for poor property conditions and bad management practices with penalties ranging from fines to seizure of property and even imprisonment,’ he pointed out.
‘But Councils don’t have the resources to undertake effective enforcement action. Imposing more burdens on councils will not mean improved standards and better conditions for tenants; it will merely mean more laws that are not being enforced,’ he explained.
‘Further, we have to consider the unintended consequences of minimum room sizes. Some people are happy to take small rooms to keep their costs down. If these rooms are no longer available, where are people supposed to live? What’s more, if a small room in a property can no longer be let out, the costs of that room will be spread across the other tenants living in the property, pushing up their rents. A habitable room is essential but a one size fits all policy doesn’t always work,’ he added.
