9 Crown Row, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 0TH
Liam McDonnell
Lettings Valuer
Liam attended school locally in Ascot and began his career in estate agency aged 18 in the Bracknell area. He has gone on to gain experience within the Maidenhead, Reading and Wokingham markets too. Building relationships is what Liam enjoys the most in his role, which gives him the opportunity to meet and help all kinds of people. Away from work, Liam enjoys playing football throughout the week and for a local Bracknell team on a Sunday (some say the next Sunday League Pirlo).
The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…
The way to get started is to quit talking and start doing.
Top of my bucket list is…
To travel around America and Australia.
On Sunday mornings, you can usually find me…
On a football pitch in all weathers – potentially a little jaded from the night before.
My guilty pleasures are…
Watching Super Sunday and the F1 whilst devouring a takeaway. Highly recommended.
The thing I like best about my job…
Helping and advising landlords on how to make the process of letting their property as stress-free as possible, and assuring tenants throughout the process so that it becomes an enjoyable and exciting experience.
The person I’d most like to go for a drink with is…
Sir Alex Ferguson.
13 Nov 2018
Under the Housing Act 2004, larger HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation) that are 3 or more storeys and occupied by 5 or more persons forming at least 2 separate households are required to be licensed.
With effect from 1 October 2018 mandatory licensing of HMOs will be extended so that smaller properties used as HMOs in England which house 5 people or more in 2 or more separate households will in many cases require a licence. The three storey rule has been abandoned.
If your property is one of the 170,000 or more thought to be caught by this change in the rules then you must have applied for a license before 1 October 2018. That means, if you have not done so yet, you may have a problem.
To meet the criteria, you must make sure that;
- the house is suitable for the number of occupants (this depends on its size and facilities)
- the manager of the house – you or an agent – is considered to be ‘fit and proper’, for example they have no criminal record or breach of landlord laws or code of practice
You must also:
- send the council an updated gas safety certificate every year
- install and maintain smoke alarms
- provide safety certificates for all electrical appliances when requested
The new rules also make provision to set a minimum size criteria but at the time of writing a nationwide size criteria has not been applied.
It’s important that you meet the new regulations because failure to become a licensed Landlord may result in your Local Authority effectively adding you to a ‘blacklist’. In other words, a list of proscribed Landlords that may not let HMOs as they are not considered to be ‘fit and proper persons’.
The changes may also mean that your property has been redefined as an HMO, something that may technically breach your current mortgagee’s terms and that of your insurers. It is important that you address this as soon as possible.
Related articles:
- Five Things Landlords Should Know in 2018
- What are the Legal Penalties for Landlords Who Break the Law?
- New Guidance for Landlords to Further Protect Tenants
- Insurance Saving Tips for Landlords
- The Advantage of Renting Through a Letting Agent.
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