Northampton Council HMO Licensing Rip-offs.

Northampton Council HMO Licensing Rip-offs.

9:23 AM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago 15

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A Northampton Landlord sent me this document and asked if I could get it out there. It would be great to get local landlord’s comments, make sure we inform those that do not already know and ask them to contact their Councillors etc.

Click Here to download the Northampton Borough Council Private Sector Housing Fees & Charges Policy

One of the Landlord Associations has acknowledged they’ve failed Northampton Landlords and should have done a better job.

This Northampton Council Licence fee, is the highest fee in the East Midlands:

“An HMO licence fee of £1,269 – comprising a first payment of £546 for the processing of the licence application and a second payment of £723 for the administration and enforcement of the licensing scheme – will be payable for an HMO that can accommodate up to 5 persons. If an ‘Early Bird Discount’ is appropriate, the size of the second payment will be reduced by £250.”

Page 13 and 14 are shocking.

  • £75 + PLUS VAT for the council to help the Landlord with their form.
  • £150 + VAT for inspection.
  • £120 for variation to a Licence. This can be if you are not managing them yourself any more and are being even more responsible and giving a Letting Agent to manage, the Council charge you too.
  • £270 for the council to come  and check your home when you wish to help out and accommodate a refugee. Which the other side of the council are desperate for Landlords to take.

This is becoming a proper License to print money and Government has to step in at some point.


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Comments

Graeme

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9:45 AM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

The essential missing piece in all of this is the statement of the service that Northampton will provide in return for the fee. On a scale from "rip off" to "excellent value" it cannot be determined where this is. Enforcement of HMO quality will need resource and therefore needs funding. Generally, I think councils need to be made more accountable and transparent when collecting revenue in return for a service.

Hardworking Landlord

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10:12 AM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

Funny, when I read at the top of the page '+ Make Text Bigger ' I misread it as
Make Tax Bigger!

It feels like we really are moving into rip off territory with this market!

Hamish McBloggs

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10:23 AM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

That's an annual charge reviewed annually?

H

TheMaluka

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10:28 AM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

"£270 for the council to come and check your home when you wish to help out and accommodate a refugee. Which the other side of the council are desperate for Landlords to take."

Charge the council £270 plus 30% handling charge (your profit) for considering to house a refugee. Payable in advance whether or not their application is successful.

terry sullivan

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10:45 AM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

what has been outcome of kingston case--where charges were deemed excessive???

Hamish McBloggs

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11:21 AM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

This simply does not incentivise bad landlords who may be teetering on the brink of becoming legit.

Criminal landlords will become more ethereal and canny.

I would like to think that some of this money is in part be intended to tackle more rogue landlords as part of a wider strategy for improvement. Though this means we have to pay for the bad 'uns to be chased.

There is an argument that we should support the 'clean up'.

My view is that the licensing system will exist to support itself and a wider strategy not developed.

This is only a appendix so will look for the rest for a read but there is nothing in the preamble that says what the LA will do for landlords. It's all expensive 'stick' and no carrot.

There needs to be a document somewhere that describes in detail how the LA will support LL's

If the LA are looking to house refugees then surely it is they who should approach the appropriately licensed. Why would landlords spend money for that?

H

Mick Roberts

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12:15 PM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

It's shocking what Councils are just pulling out the money hat. And then throwing at the Landlord. Which as we know, the tenant ends up paying.
But Council or Govt don't get blamed by tenant, tenant blames Landlord for the increased rent, so Govt & Council give the Landlord another charge & the circle carries on.

That's what's happening in Nottingham Hamish, It seems ALL of our £890 License fee is then used to go & get Landlords who hasn't paid. Meanwhile what Licensing was intended for, to make tenants houses better, has just been forgot.

Hamish McBloggs

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15:33 PM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

Having read a bit about Nottinghamshire's efforts it seems the whole project was seriously badly planned and executed and is currently unable to make any sensible headway.

Floundering with a first class honours in alienation skills.

Anyone remember Sir John Harvey Jones?

Mick Roberts

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15:45 PM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Hamish McBloggs at 08/01/2020 - 15:33Nottingham's Councillors in charge of bringing in Licensing have now gone now they wrecked Nottingham's rented market for HB tenants.
The new Councillor a year later admitted some mistakes had been made. And then now 5 months later, is making bigger mistakes.
I can't remember Jones.

Neil Patterson

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15:46 PM, 8th January 2020, About 5 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Hamish McBloggs at 08/01/2020 - 15:33
Yes I remember the programme in the 80's where Sir John Harvey Jones went around the country rescuing or improving businesses.

I particularly remember him going to Morgan and they completely ignored him lol.

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