The London borough of Brent has become the latest council to take firm action against landlords and Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), and at the same time will also focus on second homes.

The council’s new initiative requires landlords to obtain HMO licences will be extending a previous scheme that ran for five years which ended in January and had covered over 2,500 HMOs, housing five or more individuals from at least two households.

The proposed license extension will include HMOs with three or more occupants from multiple households, including bedsits.

Just a few days ago, the nearby borough of Hounslow unveiled its own HMO licensing programme aimed at addressing issues related to anti-social behaviour.

Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, Brent’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Residents’ Services, says: “Over the past 20 years, the number of privately rented homes in Brent has grown, and now makes up almost half of all homes in the borough.

“We want to make sure these homes are safe and good quality for tenants, she adds “While we have seen significant improvements, we believe that another additional HMO licensing scheme is necessary to maintain and improve the management of HMOs in Brent.”

The council has launched an 11-week consultation on HMO licensing, which will run until May 26th.

The council has just announced starting from April 1, it is introducing a new Council Tax premium targeting second homes within the borough.

It says “families in the borough are already facing immense pressures due to the ongoing London-wide housing crisis.

“This charge is designed to encourage property owners to bring under-utilised homes back into full-time use.

“It will match the charge introduced in 2024 for homes that have been left empty for more than a year. This is the maximum increase permitted under existing legislation.”