Issue - meetings

Report of Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning

Purpose of report

1)    To seek approval of revised Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence fees and of those recoverable costs associated with the issue of certain notices and orders.

2)    To seek approval of the introduction of fees associated with advisory visits for landlords and for the issue of Empty Homes VAT-exemption letters.

3)    To seek approval that the periodic review and setting of HMO licence fees will, in future, be delegated to the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning.

4)    To seek approval of a revised Recovery of Costs Policy which sets out how recovery of certain enforcement costs will be applied and which, in future, makes the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning responsible for reviewing and setting those costs.

Recommendations

The meeting is recommended:

 1.1          To approve the proposed House in Multiple Occupation (HOM) licence fee structure.

1.2           To approve the revised administrative charges the Council can recover for certain notices and orders issued under the Housing Act 2004.

1.3           To approve the introduction of a fee for advisory visits.

1.4           To approve the introduction of a fee for issuing Empty Homes VAT-exemption letters.

1.5           To approve the delegation of future HMO Licence fee setting in accordance with the Housing Act 2004 and Orders under it to the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning and Housing.

1.6           To approve the Recovery of Costs Policy 2019 (Appendix 6) which includes future delegation of the setting of recoverable costs to the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning to the extent permitted by the Housing Act 2004 and Orders under it.

Resolved

(1)            That the proposed House in Multiple Occupation (HOM) licence fee structure be approved.

(2)            That the revised administrative charges the Council can recover for certain notices and orders issued under the Housing Act 2004 be approved.

(3)            That the introduction of a fee for advisory visits be approved.

(4)            That the introduction of a fee for issuing Empty Homes VAT-exemption letters be approved.

(5)            That the delegation of future House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licence fee setting in accordance with the Housing Act 2004 and Orders under it to the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning and Housing be approved.

(6)            That the Recovery of Costs Policy 2019 (Annex to the Minutes as set put in the Minute Book) which includes future delegation of the setting of recoverable costs to the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning to the extent permitted by the Housing Act 2004 and Orders under it be approved.

The Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning submitted a report to seek approval: of revised Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence fees and of those recoverable costs associated with the issue of certain notices and orders; the introduction of fees associated with advisory visits for landlords and for the issue of Empty Homes VAT-exemption letters; for the periodic review and setting of HMO licence fees to, in future, be delegated to the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning; and, of a revised Recovery of Costs Policy which sets out how recovery of certain enforcement costs will be applied and which, in future, makes the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning responsible for reviewing and setting those costs.

Resolved

(1)            That the proposed House in Multiple Occupation (HOM) licence fee structure be approved.

(2)            That the revised administrative charges the Council can recover for certain notices and orders issued under the Housing Act 2004 be approved.

(3)            That the introduction of a fee for advisory visits be approved.

(4)            That the introduction of a fee for issuing Empty Homes VAT-exemption letters be approved.

(5)            That the delegation of future House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Licence fee setting in accordance with the Housing Act 2004 and Orders under it to the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning and Housing be approved.

(6)            That the Recovery of Costs Policy 2019 (Annex to the Minutes as set put in the Minute Book) which includes future delegation of the setting of recoverable costs to the Assistant Director Housing and Social Care Commissioning to the extent permitted by the Housing Act 2004 and Orders under it be approved.

Reasons

HMO licence fees

Revision of the Council’s HMO fees is required as a consequence of legal rulings with which the Council must comply. The costs associated with processing and enforcing HMO licences have been thoroughly reviewed.  The proposed HMO licence fee structure incorporates the changes required to ensure the Council is compliant, the newly reviewed costs incurred by the Council in carrying out its licensing function, and also recently determined corporate overheads.  The proposed licence fee structure therefore reflects the real cost to the Council of its HMO licensing activity.

HMO licence fee structure also implements the introduction of a higher fee for new HMOs found operating without a licence as provided for by the HMO Licence Policy 2018. This revision reflects a reapportioning of the cost of the enforcement element of HMO licences and ensures landlords are paying proportionately towards enforcement costs, with non-compliant landlords contributing more.

Revised charges for notices and orders

The recoverable charges made by the Council were last set in 2016.  They have been reviewed to take account of the Council’s increased costs and also to more properly reflect corporate overheads following recent review. The proposed recoverable costs reflect the true costs incurred by the Council in issuing relevant notices and orders under the Housing Act 2004.

Charges for advisory visits

It is judged appropriate  ...  view the full minutes text for item 103