Issue - meetings

Consideration has been given to recommending the Council to approve a revised Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) policy, setting out how the law relating to HMOs will be implemented in Gateshead.

RESOLVED -

That the Council be recommended to:

(i)

approve the revised HMO Policy as set out in appendix 2 to the report, that sets out how the Mandatory Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation will be implemented in Gateshead;

(ii)

approve an amendment to the Council’s Constitution to include a delegation to the Service Director, Development, Transport and Public Protection to have responsibility for implementing the provisions of The Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Prescribed Description) (England) Order 2018, and the Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (Mandatory Conditions of Licences) (England) Regulations 2018 in Gateshead; and

(iii)

Approve the reviewed HMO licence fee structure as set out in appendix 1 to the report.

The above decisions have been made for the following reasons:

(A)

The Council has a duty to effectively implement the Mandatory Licensing of HMOs in the Borough.

(B)

Implementation of Mandatory HMO Licensing protects vulnerable tenants against unscrupulous landlords and communities against the impact of badly managed HMOs.