Worcester residents are invited to have their say on the expansion of additional licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMOs) in the city.
A House in Multiple Occupancy is defined as a property where three or more people in two or more households share a basic amenity such as a toilet, a bathroom or kitchen facilities. HMOs with occupancy of five or more people need to be licensed by the local authority before they can be let out to tenants.
Worcester City Council has also been operating an 'Additional Licensing' scheme in some parts of the city since September 2015, requiring HMO properties with fewer than five occupants to be licensed.
The current Additional Licensing scheme covers the wards of Arboretum, Bedwardine, Cathedral and St Clements and St Johns and city councillors are considering whether to extend the scheme across the whole of the city.
Chair of Worcester City Council's Communities Committee, Cllr Jabba Riaz, said: "The safety of residents remains a high priority for us and I would urge members of the public to have their say in this consultation as we believe that all wards in the city would benefit by being covered by these rules."
There are currently 284 HMO properties in Worcester City with Additional Licences.
Worcester City Council is seeking views on the impact of the current Additional Licensing Scheme and also whether it should implement a new Additional Licensing Scheme to cover the remaining wards in Worcester City.
Please note that licensing is separate to planning consent. Any new HMOs will still be required to obtain planning permission, while licensing covers the ongoing standards, conditions and management of HMOs.
You can also make your views known by calling Private Sector Housing on 01905 722288 or by calling in to the Housing Advice Centre in Trinity Street on Monday 30 Jan or Monday 6 Feb between 1pm and 3.30pm to fill in a paper copy of the consultation document.
Your views will form part of the evidence base which the Council will consider before making a decision on whether to continue to declare a further Additional Licensing scheme.
Any information will be treated as confidential and comments will be anonymous.
