Salford Considers Additional Licensing

Salford city council wants to introduce landlord licensing for HMOs, following analysis of results from inspections.

Over the last 12 months, the council has been inspecting homes and found that 92% showed problems, ranging from missing to inadequate fire alarm systems, missing or damaged fire doors, inadequate or blocked escape routes and insufficient measures to prevent fire and smoke spreading.

More then a third were damp or suffering from mould because of leaky roofs or walls and a third did not have adequate heating.

Whilst more than 80% of landlords or agents carried out improvements without the need for formal action, the council said the data shows how complaints about HMOs had risen from 152 a year in 2015-16 to 265 in 2018-19.

Currently, only houses where five or more tenants sharing have to be licensed.

A council spokeswoman says: "In the last five years conversions to HMOs of all sizes in selective licensing areas have risen by 460 per cent in Eccles, 410 per cent in Langworthy, Weaste and Seedley and 196 per cent in Broughton."

"There is currently no legal requirement for landlords of three and four-person HMOs to have their property licenced by the council. An extended licensing scheme to cover these properties would enable us to be sure that people are living in safe and decent conditions and not causing issues for the wider community."