Council makes its first Interim Management Order to take over running of HMO following failings of landlord
Coventry City Council has made its first Interim Management order following what it described as a landlord’s “persistent failure” to licence a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in the area.
The local authority has also issued financial penalties worth around £60,000 on the landlord.
The background to the case was that following a complaint from the occupants, suggesting that they had been without gas or electricity, Environmental Health Officers from Coventry’s Property Licensing and Housing Enforcement team attended the property. They established that it was operating as an HMO without a licence and there were multiple breaches of the HMO Management Regulations.
In May 2020 the council introduced a citywide additional HMO licensing scheme that requires all HMOs in the city to be licensed.
The landlord of the property was given several months to licence the property and failed to do so, the local authority said.
It added: “Where there is no reasonable prospect of a HMO being licensed in the near future, the council has a duty to take over management of the HMO by making an Interim Management Order.
“The effect of the order means that the occupants have to pay their rent to the council, with the landlord still responsible for any mortgage payments. From this rent, the council ensure that the health and wellbeing of the occupants is protected, and that the general day-to-day management is improved.
“The management of the HMO is now in the hands of colleagues in the Housing and Homelessness team.”
Cllr David Welsh, Coventry’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, said: “The making of this Interim Management Order sends a clear message to landlords - if you do not licence your property the council can and will use its powers to take over the running of your HMO.
“The level of the financial penalty notice highlights the severe punishments that can be levied to those who flout the law. These fines are then ring-fenced for use by the team to further their enforcement work.”
Adrian Chowns, Property Licensing and Housing enforcement Manager, said: “Our officers have worked tirelessly in the city to promote the HMO licensing scheme and to ensure that where landlords abandon their duties and responsibilities, the team is ready to step in to protect tenants and use of the full range of enforcement powers at their disposal.”
Cllr Welsh added: “I’m also pleased to see excellent partnership working between our licencing and enforcement and housing and homelessness teams, to tackle these issues across Coventry
