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Good News For HMO Landlords

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Good News For HMO Landlords

Good news for landlords with HMO"s in Portsmouth - PCC have finally agreed to stop sending our addresses to anyone who asks.

When PCC only had 300 'Mandatory HMOs" on its register, there was not a problem - but with 2,000+ 'Additional HMOs" now also on the register, we see a constant stream of inexperienced / start-up 'letting agents" who see the HMO register as a ready-made and cheaply available prospective client list. Everyone involved knows that managing an HMO is a skilled job and not suited to these individuals/agencies (remember Red Vista, one of the earliest purchasers of the list who PCC subsequently took to court to stop them managing properties in the city).

Well, after 3 years of pressure from the PDPLA including discussions about whether data protection rules have been breached with the Information Commissioner, PCC have agreed to accept our interpretation of the 2004 Housing Act which states that the register of HMO landlords or an excerpt from it be made available to anyone who requests it. We have always asserted that the key phrase was 'an excerpt from it" and that this gave PCC the option to send some but not all of the register to anyone who requests it. There is no reason anyone (other than a government body or agency) would want the whole list except for marketing purposes.

Working with the PDPLA and other interested parties as part of the PCC Additional Licensing Governance Board, PCC have agreed that if someone has a problem with a specific HMO or group of HMO"s then of course it is right and proper that they, as the issuer of the licence for the HMO, should share details of the landlords concerned with the requestor so that issues can be progressed and ideally resolved.

However, from last month, anyone who asks for the whole list will be asked which HMO or which street and will not be offered the whole list unless he/she can show a bona fide (ie non-marketing) reason for wanting it. This is a comparatively minor win in the grand scheme of things, but on the basis that there has not been a single month in the past 3 years when one or other of the PDPLA"s members have complained about the sale of their addresses, this will save us all time and help reduce the frustrations and workload of managing HMO"s just a little.

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About the author

Martin Silman

Martin began his landlord journey 30 years ago, while working in an international role for a global telecommunications company. Since retiring he has extended his portfolio, which he manages with his wife, but has always focussed on the ‘small student HMO’ sector preferring to offer homes in the community for small groups to the more common ‘pack them in and take the money’ mentality. He has chaired the PDPLA for the past 12 years and has overseen the Associations transition from small local self-help group to a much larger and more professional institution which is recognised and listened to nationally. Alongside his PDPLA role, he also has leadership roles in a number of other local organisations – bringing his unique perspective, driving for change and increased use of technology while respecting the history that brought us here.

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