Private Sector Housing

On this page you will find information on enforcement, grant aid for repairs, improvement or adaptation. Use the short cut links below to go to the information you need.

Property Licences

For information on Property Licences please see the section on Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs)

Housing Renewal Policy

This policy is regularly updated and covers all areas of private sector housing where grant aid may be available.

See whether you could qualify for grant aid towards housing repairs, improvements or adaptations by reading

Home Improvement and Disabled Facilities Grants

Call 020 8547 5003 and find out if you qualify for grant aid.

The Council's current policy on all forms of available help is laid out in the Housing Renewal Policy accessible above. The two following items, HOUSEPROUD and Energy conservation may also be appropriate to your needs.

Houseproud

The worry free way to repair, improve or adapt your home. See related documents below for further information.

houseproud

Energy Conservation

An important part of the Council's work in improving housing conditions is making our homes more energy efficient through better designed and controlled heating together with improved thermal insulation. This has the additional benefit of protecting the environment from excessive harmful emissions.

Under the Home Energy Conservation Act (1995) the Council is required to submit a report annually to government concerning energy efficiency in residential accommodation. The Council's Eleventh Progress Report (2007) for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 can be accessed from the Related Documents section at the end of this page.

Cold Busters is the name of a scheme offering 100% grants for up to £4,000 for energy efficiency works for qualifying residents. For more details please phone 002 8547 5003 and ask to speak to the Private Sector and Public Heath Team.

Privately Rented Accommodation

Use the contact information below to register a complaint about your housing conditions or to ask for advice.

The Housing Act 2004 has introduced a radically new procedure for the evaluation and enforcement of housing conditions. It is the Housing Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS). As the name suggests, it is a risk rating system for specified hazards that might be encountered in the environment of a dwelling (including areas such as access and gardens etc related to the dwelling). There are 29 specified hazards. The most notable innovation in this system is the importance given to the risk to health of poor energy efficiency, something that was barely considered under the old "Fitness for Human Habitation" standard. Councils have a range of options for enforcement under this system - from the issue of a Hazard Awareness Notice to a Prohibition Notice. Appeals and adjudication under this, and other Housing Act 2004 provisions are to Residential Property Tribunals rather than to a County Court. All landlords and agents should make themselves aware of their duties in relation to the health and safety of their tenants.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) and the Housing Act 2004

HMOs can simply be defined as any accommodation occupied by members of more than one household. (A household is defined as being comprised of the members of one family). HMOs provide an important source of housing, but they often present higher risks to health and safety than single household accommodation, and often house vulnerable occupants. There is specific legislation requiring landlords of HMOs where there are five or more people sharing facilities in buildings of three or more storeys to apply to the local authority for a licence. It is essential for landlords to find out about licensing as the failure to apply to licence a licensable property is a serious offence and can carry a penalty of up to £20,000.

If you have any doubts as to whether your property is licensable please contact the Property Inspection Team on 020 8547 5003 or by email to: ENhousingstaff@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

The Council's application form for a HMO licence is currently available from the Council upon request, and will soon be downloadable from the Council’s website.

Section 63 of the Housing Act 2004 allows a local authority to set a licensing fee, and details of the Council’s HMO licensing fee structure for year 2011 / 2012 are set out in the table below:

RBK Fee Structure from April 2011	£
Fee per unit (new applications)	200
Fee per unit (renewal applications)	160
Discounts: LLAs Charity Early applications	100 50% 50
Maximum Fee	3000
Variation Fee	100

The Council offers a £100 discount for each property where the landlord is accredited with the London Landlord Accreditation Scheme (LLAS). The cost of a LLAS course is £79.90. It also offers a discount of £50 for applications submitted in full and on first request, to reflect the reduced administrative costs in chasing outstanding and incomplete applications. There is a maximum fee of £3000, and licensable HMOs owned by a charity will receive a 50% discount. In the event that a landlord has applied for a licence to be varied in some way, a charge of £100 per variation will be applied.

HMO Standards

The Council revised its standards for HMOs and a copy of the current standards is available below.

If you require any further information, please phone 020 8547 5003 and ask to speak to the Property Inspection Team.

Contact Us

If your complaint concerns security of tenure, harassment or similar landlord/tenant matters you should contact the Housing Advice and Options Service on 020 8547 5003.

If your query concerns drainage you may find your answer at the Drainage and Sewage page - see related link below.

Our postal address is:

Property Inspection Team
Place and Regeneration
Guildhall 2
High Street
Kingston upon Thames
KT1 1 EU

Tel: 020 8547 5003
Fax: 020 8547 5568
Email: ENhousingstaff@rbk.kingston.gov.uk

Please contact us if the information you require is not here.