UPDATE – for landlords and private tenants looking for information on the new additional licensing scheme, please click here.
Consultation is now closed
Portsmouth City Council currently operates a mandatory licensing scheme for about 1,200 houses in multiple occupation which are shared by five or more tenants. This sets the conditions we expect landlords to meet before they rent properties to tenants, covering aspects of home safety and standards of accommodation.
The council is now considering extending this licensing scheme to all the HMOs in the city which have three or four tenants, potentially another 4,800 properties.
The aim of this scheme would be to ensure good property management and living standards for tenants. We’ll need to charge a licence fee, payable by landlords, to cover the administration costs.
Before the council makes this decision, we are running 10 weeks of consultation until midnight on August 2 to gather views; we are particularly keen to hear from current landlords, tenants and residents living near HMOs. The consultation had been due to end on July 31, but because of a technical issue with this website affecting access to the documents for less than a day (during 18/19 July), the deadline has been extended.
The documents on this page explain the application of relevant housing legislation, the impact on landlords, tenants and local communities. There is also a survey for anyone to complete to give their opinion and the council’s private rental sector team will be holding sessions around the city, including at our libraries.
- Tesco Fratton Park: 20 July, 10am-12pm
- Civic Offices (ground floor meeting room 3): 27 July, 10am-12pm
