LANDLORDS of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) are facing tough new regulations in York in a bid to improve the standard of accommodation for tenants.

City of York Council says smaller properties will have to be licensed as HMOs in future, irrespective of the number of storeys, under new national laws coming into force on October 1.

Bedrooms will have a minimum size and a maximum number of occupants to prevent overcrowding, and landlords will have to provide adequate storage space for tenants’ waste.

A spokeswoman said the authority was preparing a new inspection programme and revised licensing fees in the light of the new law.

Landlords would be given up to 18 months grace to comply and the council was proposing a different approach to fees and inspections, with fees reflecting the additional applications expected and the extra inspections required.

“Inspections will be triggered by information provided by landlords and will be prioritised around known risk factors including the history of landlords and higher-risk properties. Where landlords fail to comply, fines of up to £30,000 can be considered.”

Cllr Helen Douglas, executive member for housing, who will examine the issues at a decision session on Thursday, said a small minority of "disreputable landlords" was putting tenants at risk, adding: “We want to tackle poor landlord practises which can lead to overcrowding, poor management of tenant behaviour, failure to meet health and safety standards, housing of illegal immigrants and tenant intimidation.”