Council boasts of penalties meted out to HMO owners
Summary
Ealing Council is consulting on renewing its licensing scheme for smaller HMOs for a further five years, to 2032, after reporting significant numbers of hazards and enforcement actions in the sector. The council says inspections have uncovered serious safety issues, including a fire risk in a shared flat, and that the scheme has helped identify unlicensed properties and bring them into regulation.
Why it matters
Residential surveyors involved in HMO work, compliance inspections or valuation of rented stock should note the proposed extension of licensing and the council’s enforcement stance. The article highlights the continuing importance of identifying hazards, fire risks and unlicensed occupation in shared housing.
Key points
- Ealing Council wants to extend its smaller HMO licensing scheme from 2027 to 2032.
- Inspectors reportedly found 4,890 housing hazards across more than 900 HMOs in two years.
- The council says 28 civil penalties have been issued for unlicensed HMOs since April 2025.
- A consultation on the renewed licensing system runs until 24 September.
- The council links licensing to uncovering fire risks, poor management and antisocial behaviour.
This is an RPSA summary of a publicly available article. The full content remains with the original publisher.
