BLOG: Tackling the biggest issue
Published: Friday, 20th January 2023An opinion piece by Cllr Susan Brown, leader of Oxford City Council, on the biggest issue raised by her constituents and what the council is doing to address this.
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Tribunal orders management company to refund £84K rent to tenants in unlicensed accommodation
Published: Thursday, 22nd September 2022A tribunal has ordered a student accommodation management company to refund more than £84,000 in rent after it ran an unlicensed house in multiple occupation (HMO).
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Renters urged to make their voices heard by joining tenants’ forum
Published: Friday, 18th March 2022Oxford City Council is calling on tenants to make their voices heard and join a new tenants’ forum representing the interests of renters in Oxford.
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A new approach on short lets is needed
Published: Tuesday, 22nd June 2021Oxford City Council has called on the government for a new approach to the way whole properties are rented out as short lets.
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All houses in multiple occupation in Oxford need a licence as additional licensing scheme restarts
Published: Thursday, 10th June 2021All houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) in Oxford must have a licence following the restart of Oxford City Council’s ‘additional’ licensing scheme today.
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Council approves licensing schemes to improve conditions in private rented housing
Published: Thursday, 11th March 2021Oxford City Council has approved two licensing schemes aimed at improving conditions and driving up standards in private rented housing.
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Plans to drive up standards in Oxford’s private rented homes set for approval following consultation
Published: Monday, 8th March 2021Plans to drive up standards and improve conditions for all of Oxford’s private tenants are set for approval following strong backing from tenants and residents in public consultation last year.
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Council extends consultation on proposals to improve private renting in Oxford
Published: Thursday, 3rd December 2020Oxford residents now have four more weeks to have their say on proposals to improve conditions in private rented housing in the city after the consultation period was extended until 31 December.
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Two weeks to have your say on proposals to improve private renting in Oxford
Published: Thursday, 19th November 2020Oxford residents have two weeks left to have their say on proposals to improve conditions in private rented housing in the city.
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Council issues coronavirus advice for houses in multiple occupation
Published: Wednesday, 14th October 2020Oxford City Council has written to tenants of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) with advice on suppressing the spread of coronavirus.
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Consultation starts on plans to improve Oxford’s private rented sector
Published: Thursday, 10th September 2020Oxford City Council has launched a public consultation on two licensing schemes aimed at improving conditions in the private rented sector.
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Council proposes consultation on housing licensing schemes
Published: Thursday, 27th August 2020Oxford City Council is proposing to launch public consultation on two licensing schemes aimed at improving conditions in the private rented sector.
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Council awarded government funding to tackle rogue landlords
Published: Tuesday, 22nd January 2019The City Council has been awarded £40,492 by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to help tackle the minority of irresponsible landlords who make tenants’ lives a misery.
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Rogue landlord sentenced to six months in prison for unlawful evictions
Published: Thursday, 26th April 2018An Oxford landlord with a history of criminal and non-compliant behaviour was given a six-month custodial sentence for a series of housing offences at Oxford Magistrate’s Court on 25 April 2018.
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Oxford landlord issued financial penalty of £15,624 for HMO offences
Published: Friday, 20th April 2018An Oxford landlord has been issued a financial penalty of £15,624 for controlling an unsafe House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in the Cowley area of Oxford.
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Rogue landlord prosecuted for the second time in six months for HMO offences
Published: Monday, 26th March 2018An Oxford landlord with a previous conviction for housing offences was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay the City Council £1,535 in costs when he appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on 20 March 2018.
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Council collects over £30,000 in HMO penalties using new powers
Published: Thursday, 21st December 2017Oxford City Council has collected a total of £31,606 in penalties for housing offences from its first three cases since the introduction of new financial penalty powers to help crackdown on rogue landlords and improve safety for renters.
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Oxford landlord convicted of repeat HMO offences
Published: Wednesday, 18th October 2017An Oxford landlord has been convicted for the second time in 12 months for operating an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) and ordered to pay a total of £6,146 in fines and costs. The investigation followed a fire in the house which had a faulty fire detection system.
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Oxford landlord fined for letting unlawfully sub-divided, poorly managed property
Published: Monday, 15th May 2017In the first prosecution of its kind in the city, a landlord of unlawfully converted flats has been convicted of managing an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) in a case heard before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on 11 April 2017.
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Oxford landlord fined £9,000 for housing offences
Published: Thursday, 15th December 2016An Oxford landlord was convicted of multiple housing offences when her case was heard before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 13 December 2016.
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Oxford landlords fined £14,748 for housing offences
Published: Thursday, 20th October 2016Two landlords of houses in multiple occupation (HMO) in Oxford were convicted of housing offences when they appeared before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 4 October 2016.
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Oxford landlords fined £12,365 for housing offences
Published: Friday, 30th September 2016Two Oxford landlords have been fined £12,365 after being convicted of housing offences when they appeared before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday 26 September 2016.
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Council keeps up planning pressure on HMOs
Published: Monday, 5th September 2016... as three East Oxford landlords lose appeals.
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Three Oxford landlords fined £11,000 for housing offences
Published: Monday, 25th July 2016Three Oxford landlords were fined a total of £11,000 after being convicted of housing offences when their cases were heard before Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday 18 July 2016.
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Rogue landlord ordered to refund £2,934 in rent to tenants
Published: Wednesday, 15th June 2016A legal tribunal has ruled that an Oxford landlord must refund his tenants rent totalling £2,934 because he housed them in unlicensed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
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Oxford HMO landlord fined £11,135 for housing offences
Published: Tuesday, 14th June 2016In a prosecution taken by Oxford City Council, the landlord of an unlicensed HMO was ordered to pay fines of £9,390 and costs of £1,745.
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Oxford man convicted of housing offences
Published: Friday, 13th November 2015An Oxford man has been found guilty of ignoring a legal request from the city council for information stating whether he was responsible for a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
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HMO licensing scheme renewed for another five years
Published: Thursday, 22nd October 2015Oxford City Council has approved the renewal of the Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licensing scheme for another five years.
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Oxford landlord fined £3,250 for flouting housing regulations
Published: Tuesday, 29th September 2015A 35 year-old Oxford landlord was handed fines totalling £3,250 and costs of £1,426 for running an unlicensed and unsafe House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) when he appeared before Oxford Magistrates'
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Public urged to participate in HMO licensing consultation before it closes
Published: Wednesday, 19th August 2015Oxford City Council is urging the public to submit their views on proposals to extend its licensing scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) for another five years before the consultation closes.
