READING Borough Council has opened consultation on proposals to change how private rental homes are licensed.
The council has laid out plans for a new scheme which would see an extension to the current houses in multiple occupation (HMO).
Reading Borough Council currently uses the national mandatory licensing scheme for larger HMOs with five or more occupants, which covers around 1,400 sites.
Discretionary licensing is used to improve conditions and management in the private rented sector, under the Housing Act 2004.
The proposals would expand HMO licensing to sites with three or four occupants and require all rented properties to have a licence in three wards: Battle, Redlands and Park.
This will apply even if the HMO is only let to a single person or family.
The council has opened public consultation on their proposals, with drop-in sessions and online submission.
James Crosbie, Assistant Director for Planning, Transport and Public Protection, said:
“We want to hear from tenants and landlords about our proposals and whether this will help drive change and provide better homes for our residents. National evidence shows that good homes have positive impacts on physical and mental health and for families and better educational outcomes.
“We want to ensure that all our private rented sector is safe for tenants. The proposed scheme will help with that aim, as we widen the area of inspection in terms of housing which will go beyond the mandatory scheme.
“We are asking tenants, landlords and any other interested parties for their feedback on the scheme and how it could be implemented. We will then assess their views. If we go ahead with the proposed plan, we will be looking at implementing the scheme in a phased approach from Spring 2025.
“These schemes will help make homes safer and provide better quality homes for those who are renting.”
Drop-in sessions take place in Battle Library from 9.30am-12.30pm on Tuesday, June 18, and at South Reading Community Hub 12.30pm–4pm on Tuesday, July 16.
The consultation will run for 12 weeks, with more information and submissions via: reading.gov.uk/housing/private-renting
