Housing enforcement guidance

Targeted enforcement action

Housing services may take targeted enforcement action to address concerns in a particular geographical area or type of property.

This may be triggered by:

  • concerns about unlicensed houses of multiple occupancy (HMOs) in an area
  • concerns about concentrations or increases in numbers of empty properties
  • concerns about concentration of HMOs in an area
  • low quality housing in an area predominantly in the private rented sector
  • checking HMO licence conditions
  • concerns about properties owned by a portfolio landlord where some properties have fallen significantly below legal standards or have category 1 hazards present
  • investigating whether to introduce selective or additional licensing
  • information from energy performance certificates including entries on the exemptions register from the Minimum Level of Energy Efficiency standard (EPC band E) 2018 regulations