HMO confusion and frustration

JustSteph

post deleted

CloudCuckooLand

http://www.hmoscotland.com/leaflet/leaflet.pdf

"An HMO is any house or flat which three or more unrelated adults share. It is a statistical fact that HMO accommodation is much more likely to be subject of fire or gas safety incidents than single family homes. They are also susceptible to overcrowding with the problems which that brings. It is essential that such accommodation is regulated to ensure they are safe and healthy places to live."

http://www.hmoscotland.com/legal/penalties.asp


Google is great, isn't it...

BitterAndTwisted

Tenants who lie about who is living there risk getting heaved out of the property once the landlord becomes aware of it, such are the risks to them. Also, landlords need to registered in Scottishland and it's an offence for them not to be.

Didn't your mother tell you that if you need other people's help it's always best to exercise the good manners she tried to teach you?

pararct

The pdf link posted is I think quite unequivocal 3 or more and yes it is a HMO. Look at Para 4 on the document

HMO’s include:
Shared flats and houses
Bed-sits
Lodgings
Communal accommodation such as student residences and hostels

Why not apply for a licence? You will have to install smoke detectors (if the place does not already have them) in the common areas of the accommodation and an alarm system but the changes should not either be financially restrictive nor problematic.

dancingfairy

I know in England there are different definitions for an HMO - one which the council tax is concerned with and another that concerns the buildng regulations. I'm not sure if it is the same in Scotland though. I would have a look on Shelters website (I guess they cover Scotland) and maybe phone them if you are concerned.
df

Jowo_2

I can't speak for all of Scotland, but in Glasgow, HMO licencing was brought in at least 12 years ago, in response to slum landlords and then I think it got even more tightened up after the death of two students whose landlord lied on oath about the fire precautions.

http://news.scotsman.com/topstories/Landlords-putting-lives-in-danger.2263326.jp

They found that some continued to be appalling, not motivated by the occasional chance of getting a small fines from breaching HMO regulations so when they introduced the Landlord Registration scheme in Scotland, they had a 'fit and proper' clause so they could prevent some landlords from operating, plus they can issue Rent Penalty Notices to the tenants and stop the landlord receiving rent.

http://govanhill.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/slum-landlord-loses-appeal-to-rent-flats.html
http://govanhill.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/landlords-slum-flats-seized.html

giddypenguin

If all the information you've found says that 3 or more people in a house/flat is an HMO, then why are you asking the question here? Thems the rules - asking the question over and over again will not give you another answer.

DVardysShadow

Jowo wrote: »

I can't speak for all of Scotland, but in Glasgow, HMO licencing was brought in at least 12 years ago, in response to slum landlords and then I think it got even more tightened up after the death of two students whose landlord lied on oath about the fire precautions.

http://news.scotsman.com/topstories/Landlords-putting-lives-in-danger.2263326.jp

They found that some continued to be appalling, not motivated by the occasional chance of getting a small fines from breaching HMO regulations so when they introduced the Landlord Registration scheme in Scotland, they had a 'fit and proper' clause so they could prevent some landlords from operating, plus they can issue Rent Penalty Notices to the tenants and stop the landlord receiving rent.

http://govanhill.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/slum-landlord-loses-appeal-to-rent-flats.html
http://govanhill.eveningtimes.co.uk/news/landlords-slum-flats-seized.html

Of course, there is always an unintended consequence of registration being based on the tenants . This is that goups of single people find it harder to rent accommodation.

Jowo_2

DVardysShadow wrote: »

Of course, there is always an unintended consequence of registration being based on the tenants . This is that goups of single people find it harder to rent accommodation.

Yes, you're right.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/a-high-price-to-pay-for-students-1.861086

That's fine by me as large groups of single tenants can mean a community blighted by transient groups that have no great stake in the community, such as migrants and students.

giddypenguin

JustSteph wrote: »

Because I know of people (other students) who have 4 people in their 4 bedroom flats and also know someone who is only still living in the Halls of Residence because she couldn't find anywhere that would allow her and 2 of her friends to share a 3 bedroomed flat. I've received so much contradictory information, I'm not sure what is correct, so I thought it would make more sense to ask people, rather than a computer.

They probably have a HMO licence. If you want to break the law, go and do it. Don't ask people here to support you.

DVardysShadow

Jowo wrote: »

Yes, you're right.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/a-high-price-to-pay-for-students-1.861086

That's fine by me as large groups of single tenants can mean a community blighted by transient groups that have no great stake in the community, such as migrants and students.

What should they do? Live in the woods and come out under the cover of dark to rape your women and children?