Council scheme to tackle rogue landlords in Walsall
A scheme to tackle rogue landlords who run hazardous ‘houses of multiple occupancy’ in some parts of Walsall looks set to get underway.
Walsall Council’s cabinet agreed to launch a consultation into a proposed additional licensing scheme to ensure HMOs are of a good standard and fit for people to live in.
Members heard there is an increasing number of HMOs – which usually see three or four different households sharing facilities under one roof – in the borough, particularly the Paddock, Palfrey, Pleck and St Matthew’s wards.
A pilot scheme will be held in those areas and, if successful, it is planned to roll out across the rest of the borough.
A report to cabinet said that out of 2,030 HMOs in Walsall, 356 were said to have a high ‘category one’ hazard while 290 were considered to be in disrepair.
Problems in these properties include electrical hazards, issues with crowding, excess cold, damp and mould and fire safety including a lack of detectors or escape doors.
Improving standards
A fee will be charged by the council and landlords will be expected to adhere to a number of conditions.
It’s is hoped the scheme will improve property standards and help identify bad landlords in order to take action sooner.
Councillor Adrian Andrew, deputy council leader, said: “This is a key launch of a consultation in order for us to try and further tackle rogue landlords on this occasion for the management for houses of multiple occupation.
“We have had some great success in improving housing standards through the currently policies that we are following that don’t punish the good landlords – and there are so many of them – that we have across the borough of Walsall.
“We are going out to consultation for these four particular wards because this is where the highest issue and concentration of homes of multiple occupancy are situated.
“But I will say, should this be successfully implemented, we will be looking to roll this out to other parts of the borough to tackle the issues associated with the badly managed HMOs.
“There is a strong need for HMOs but we must make sure that the quality of that housing is fit for purpose and fit for the residents we all represent.”
