I recently purchased a property converted to 3 flats in Swansea that was already tenanted. After an inspection, I received a letter from the Environmental Health Dept with a huge list of works required to comply with the regs. I was under the impression that because the flats are a max of 3 bedrooms I would fall under the bar to comply with additional or mandatory licensing. Do I have any choice but to comply with the required works?
The Env Health department will get involved with flats only if they don't comply with building regs c1991. If the conversion has building regs then you will be outside of their remit. I presume that having bought the property your solicitor would have checked this out. It doesn't matter if the flat has 1 bed or 4 it will fall under the Env Health remit re HMO regs. The main issue for you may be the departments interpretation of the amenity standards. These dicate that you require at least 7m sq for 1-5 persons.
Basically you have 2 choices:
1. Comply with the HMO works and license the property as a HMO 2. Refirb the property to building regs. This will require full compliance with new sound proofing standards between floors and occupied rooms. This option will include all the fire protection as per the HMO guidlines but may give you better options re the amenity space.
Flat conv - HMO Guidelines
Topic Locked
Posted - 15 May 2008 : 13:03:05
