9 Crown Row, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 0TH
Marney Howick
Sales Valuer
Marney has worked in estate agency since leaving school and has experience in the Berkshire, Hampshire and Surrey property markets. She certainly has gained some exceptional local knowledge! Outside of work, Marney has a crazy beagle who keeps her busy, she loves playing Paddle with the girls in Binfield, and trying out new local bars and restaurants.
Top of my bucket list is…
I’d love to go to Bali!
When I was younger, I wanted to be…
An estate agent.
On Sunday mornings, you can usually find me…
Out for brunch, followed by a walk with the girls and our dogs.
My guilty pleasures are…
Prosecco and awful reality TV.
The thing I like best about my job is…
Building long lasting relationships with my clients and getting to see beautiful homes! I feel extremely fortunate to have worked across several counties and helped lots of lovely people move home.
The best piece of advice I’ve been given is…
You make your own luck.
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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