Council pays thousands to private firm working on landlord licensing
Summary
Croydon Council is introducing new selective and additional HMO licensing schemes from Friday, expanding regulation across parts of the borough and for smaller HMOs. The council has also appointed a private firm, The Oyster Partnership, to help administer applications, document checks, enquiries and some inspections, while retaining final decision-making and enforcement powers.
Why it matters
Residential property surveyors may be asked to support landlords, managing agents or lenders affected by the new licensing requirements, including property inspections and compliance checks. The use of a private contractor to administer parts of the regime may also affect how quickly applications and inspections are processed in Croydon.
Key points
- Selective licensing will apply to privately rented homes in 14 wards.
- Additional HMO licensing will cover HMOs with three or four occupants from two or more households across the borough.
- Mandatory HMO licensing for HMOs with five or more people remains in place.
- The Oyster Partnership has been appointed to process applications, check documents, answer queries and carry out inspections where needed.
- Croydon Council says it will retain responsibility for final licence decisions and enforcement.
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