Issue - meetings

B (Copy herewith)

RESOLVED:

2.1         Cabinet:

(a)       Approved the changes to the HMO licence fees (as set out in Paragraphs 3.2.5 – 3.2.12 of this report), including the apportionment of the HMO licence between the processing of the application and the administration of the HMO licensing scheme, and delegated to the Head of Housing and Wellbeing the authority to implement these revised fees with regard to applications for HMO licenses received with effect from 11 December 2019.

(b)       Approved the updated Private Sector Housing Fees & Charges Policy (attached to this report as Appendix A); and

(c)       Approved the transitional arrangements (as set out in Paragraph 3.2.16 – 3.2.17 of this report) for those HMO licences that were issued under the previous Additional HMO Licensing Scheme of 2014 and were not due to expire until after 2 November 2019.

Councillor Hibbert as the relevant Cabinet Member presented the report seeking approval of the changes to HMO licence fees, and amendments to the Private Sector Housing Fees and Charges Policy.  This had been reviewed in the light of recent case law, guidance from the LGA and the practice of other authorities.  A two stage fee structure was now required, separating the cost of the initial application from the ongoing administration and enforcement.  There was an error on page 15 of the report: item 3.3.7 should have referred to options 1, 3 and 5 (not 1, 3 and 6).

RESOLVED:

2.1         Cabinet:

(a)       Approved the changes to the HMO licence fees (as set out in Paragraphs 3.2.5 – 3.2.12 of this report), including the apportionment of the HMO licence between the processing of the application and the administration of the HMO licensing scheme, and delegated to the Head of Housing and Wellbeing the authority to implement these revised fees with regard to applications for HMO licenses received with effect from 11 December 2019.

(b)       Approved the updated Private Sector Housing Fees & Charges Policy (attached to this report as Appendix A); and

(c)       Approved the transitional arrangements (as set out in Paragraph 3.2.16 – 3.2.17 of this report) for those HMO licences that were issued under the previous Additional HMO Licensing Scheme of 2014 and were not due to expire until after 2 November 2019.