FOCUS ON: New licensing scheme
New licensing scheme for private rented accommodation launches: Calling all landlords! The scheme for Additional Licensing of privately rented Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and Selective Licensing for most other privately rented properties in Brislington West ward comes into force on 6 April 2022. You will have up to three months to submit a valid application together with the part 1 fee. No enforcement for an unlicensed property will be considered until after 6 July 2022. You will not be able to apply before 6th April as the scheme is not live until that date and the online application form will not be activated until then. Please go to the Following webpage from 6th April to apply: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/licences-permits/ apply-for-a-property-licence-page
https://www.bristol.gov.uk/licences-permits/ guide-to-what-happens-after-you-ve-appliedfor-a-property-licence • The Part 2 payment can be reduced by £150 if you submit valid gas and electrical safety certificates and a valid EPC. A further reduction of £150 can be applied to the Part 2 payment if you are an accredited member of one of the West of England Rent with Confidence scheme approved providers.: https:// www.westofenglandrentwithconfidence.co.uk/ If both discounts are applied, no Part 2 fee will be required. • Once the Part 2 payment is paid, your licence will be issued and is valid for five years. This is not an annual fee – it covers the five-year licence period.
Below are answers to some of the questions most frequently asked about licensing:
• Each property will be inspected at least once during the lifetime of the scheme to ensure that they meet licensing standards. For more information on licensing standards please visit here: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ licences-permits/licences-standards-and-conditions
• If there are three or more unrelated people resident who share some facilities (such as a kitchen or bathroom), it is an HMO and you would need an ADDITIONAL licence with a Part 1 fee of £1,000.
• It is a legal requirement for landlords to make a licence application for each property that they let in the area that needs a licence. Failure to do so could result in enforcement action and prosecution.
• If you let to a family or to one or two people only, it is not an HMO but will require a SELECTIVE licence with a Part 1 fee of £499.
• Landlords with properties which already have Mandatory HMO licences (properties subject to the longstanding national licensing scheme for larger houses in multiple occupation) do not need to make a further application under this scheme.
You will find more detailed information on the scheme here: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ licences-permits/property-licences
• A Part 2 fee of £300 for all licence types is due some months later once the application has been processed and you will receive a letter asking for the payment and relevant certificates to be provided. More details here: 24
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