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• On 24 August, a Facebook post by a Birmingham Council’s Property Licensing team’ official revealed a visit involving the Property Licensing and Operation Fearless teams.
• The post said:

“Last week we were out with the Property Licensing and Operation Fearless teams - unfortunately we have many unlicensed HMOs in our community and I'm on a mission to serve them justice.”

• It continued:

“Landlords without a licensed HMO are fined £15,000 as they are putting tenants at risk with unsafe conditions. If a HMO is licensed we can hold it to its licensing conditions to avoid issues, which can come with unlimited fines for issues.”

• What does this mean for landlords and letting agents? The Handsworth visit is a practical example of a council directing its teams towards a local concern. The law is national, but enforcement happens locally.

• The post’s £15,000 figure should not be read as an automatic fine for every unlicensed HMO. The amount depends on the case. Birmingham Council says that failing to obtain a required HMO licence can lead to a civil penalty of up to £40,000 or criminal prosecution. Licence conditions can also be enforced. (www.birmingham.gov.uk).

• If a council investigates a shared house, officers may ask who lives there, check whether it needs a licence, review the licence and its conditions, and examine records about the property’s condition. Any concerns found can lead to further checks and enforcement action.

• For a small agency, that means time spent finding documents, answering questions, contacting the landlord and arranging work. The practical step now is to check which properties need a licence and keep the licence, inspection records, repair history and photographs together.

• Angel Moves follows what local authorities are doing and brings relevant updates to Landlords and Letting Agents. We help you understand what is happening in your area and what you need to check across your properties.

• To know what is happening in your area, Book your free 30-minute consultation with Angel Moves.