If you're the landlord of a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), you need to register for a licence. The Royal Borough is offering a discount to landlords who apply early, within the first six months of the scheme.

What are Houses in Multiple Occupation

A HMO is a home which is:

• occupied by more than one household that shares the bathroom, toilet or kitchen
• occupied by more than one household and the flats are not entirely self-contained, whether facilities are shared or not
• converted into self-contained flats that do not meet the requirements of the relevant building regulations, and at least one third of the flats are occupied under short tenancies.

Why is licensing being introduced?

Licensing the landlords who provide this type of housing will help to ensure that the housing meets legal health and safety standards, is well run and provides enough essential bathroom and kitchen facilities for tenants.

An extensive public consultation was carried out from November 2016 to February 2017 on extending HMO licensing. Eighty percent of residents and tenants who responded were in favour of the changes.

'Encourage landlords to register for their early bird discount'

Councillor Jackie Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Environment said, "Properly regulated and licensed properties are good for both tenants and landlords. Renters can move into a property with confidence, knowing that it's been licensed by Royal Greenwich and is in a condition which we all rightfully expect.

"Landlords can also market their properties as fully licensed, offering a suitable range of facilities. I encourage landlords to register for their early bird discounts and work with us as we improve the quality of homes on offer to tenants across the borough."