En nuestros artículos anteriores, analizamos varios aspectos de la concesión de licencias de propiedad. Esta semana, hemos creado una lista de sitios web útiles. Entonces, si su propiedad no tiene licencia, esta lista lo ayudará a encontrar información más fácilmente.

La búsqueda de información en Internet puede ser un proceso arduo. Es por eso que hemos creado una lista de sitios web útiles a los que puede acudir.

Puede traducir este artículo en español haciendo clic en el botón de idioma. Se encuentra en la parte superior de esta página web. Ver la imagen del botón de idioma al final de este artículo.

Licence Register

• To understand what type of licence your property needs, click here. For information in Spanish, click here.
• To check if your property has a licence, click here.

Southwark Council’s Private Sector Teams

• To get in touch with the Private Sector Enforcement Team, click here. You can contact this team if:
  • you live in an unlicenced property
  • your landlord is threatening you
  • your landlord has illegally evicted you.
• To get in touch with the Tenancies Relations Service Team, click here. You can contact this team if:
  • the relationship with your landlord has broken down
  • you are at risk of losing your home
  • your landlord wants to evict you.

Disrepair

• To notify the Council if your property is in disrepair, click here.

Homelessness

• To notify The Housing Solutions Service, you will need a referral. Referrals can be obtained from organizations such as:
  • Citizens Advice Southwark
  • Tenancy Relations Service at Southwark Council

The referrals can be made if you are homeless OR if you reside in a property which the Council has deemed an imminent risk to your health & safety.

Info on HMO standards and restrictions

• To read about HMO standards and restrictions, click here. The link contains information on:
  • the regulations which landlords must follow if the property is rented out to more than 3 people from 2 or more different households;
  • minimum size standards of rooms;
  • maximum number of people;
  • health & safety standards for HMO properties;
  • other relevant obligations.

Complaints

• To file a complaint if you are not satisfied with Southwark Council’s inspection or decision regarding your property, click here.
• To file a complaint to Housing Ombudsman, click here.

Please note, that in order for you to raise the complaint with Housing Ombudsman, you must first make a complaint to the Council and allow them to review your complaint first. If you are unsatisfied with The Council’s review and decision, you can then make a further claim with the Housing Ombudsman. Do not skip these steps because the ombudsman will ask for proof that you have followed the procedure before turning to them for help.

Rent Repayment Orders (RROs)

• To pursue legal action against your landlord, you can contact Justice For Tenants. Justice For Tenants can help you if:
  • your landlord has failed to apply for a license
  • you live an unlicened property with disrepair issues
  • you want to recover your rent from your landlord who has failed to license your property.
• To view or download a RRO1 form, click here
• For a step-by-step guide on RRO1 processes, click here
• To read about associated costs, click here
• To understand how the court process works, how to prepare, or what to bring and wear to a hearing, click here

Legal Advice

You can seek legal advice, pro bono representation or conditional fee agreements such as no-win-no-fee from the following organizations and companies:

• Southwark Law Centre
• Legal Advice Clinic at LSBU 
• Anthony Gold Solicitors
• Justice For Tenants
• Rent Repayment Order

Further Support

For a full list of organizations and companies that offer support to private tenants in Southwark, click here.

We hope you found this list of useful websites helpful. Have a question or feedback about this article? Contact us via our webform and we will get back to you!