HMO tenants have duties too

As I have mentioned before in this blog, there are new management regulations now in force for landlords of HMO properties. These provide for the landlord (or his manager) to provide contact details to occupiers, ensure that the property is safe in various respects (fire safety, handrails and banisters, bars on windows with low cills etc), maintain the property in a good condition, get proper certificates for gas and electrical installations, deal with rubbish and bins properly etc etc. All important management things that will ensure that HMOs are better and safer environments in which to live.

But what if the wretched occupiers thwart the landlords efforts? Damage the property installations, refuse to deal with waste responsibly, and keep the place in a mess? Well, landlords will be pleased to note that tenants now also have obligations under the new regulations, obligations not to impede or obstruct the landlord or his manager in the execution of his duty.

So arguably, if the tenant continually knocks over all the bins and rips out the bars in the windows, he too can be prosecuted and face a fine on conviction. Its not all bad news for landlords.