HMO LICENSING SERVICE

1. HMO STAFF MAKE SURE THAT HOUSES ARE RUN PROPERLY

2. THEY ARE FUNDED BY THE LICENCE FEES PAID BY LANDLORDS

Since 2012, Labour have cut the HMO staff from 8 down to 5.5 making the service less effective.

2. THEY ARE FUNDED BY THE LICENCE FEES PAID BY LANDLORDS

The fee income has been going up. It can only be used to fund HMO staff. We have successfully forced Labour to re-employ a member of staff from April 2017.

3. LESS STAFF MEANS NO ACTION

2. THEY ARE FUNDED BY THE LICENCE FEES PAID BY LANDLORDS

3. LESS STAFF MEANS NO ACTION

Swansea council have not prosecuted a landlord for not running an HMO properly for 3 years. In the year before Labour took control there were 11 prosecutions.

4. BURYING THE EVIDENCE

5. PEOPLE KNOW THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH A BADLY MANAGED HMO

3. LESS STAFF MEANS NO ACTION

HMO related prosecutions could once be viewed on the council website. Last year this information was removed.

5. PEOPLE KNOW THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH A BADLY MANAGED HMO

The reduced service has only issued 9 cautions for bad management in the last 4 years. Anti-social problems such as refuse in front gardens are therefore common.

6. PUTTING THINGS RIGHT

5. PEOPLE KNOW THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH A BADLY MANAGED HMO

VOTE UPLANDS and we will lobby to restore the HMO staff to a proper level to make the service function effectively again.