Reporting Unkempt HMOs

Owners and managers of HMOs have a statutory obligation to maintain those properties in a safe and tidy condition and that obligation includes any garden belonging to the HMO.  So, if you see properties like those in the pictures below, you should report them to the Private Sector Housing Department and if you suspect that the property is occupied by students of Royal Holloway, include the college’s Community Team (e-mail addresses below).

When reporting such an incident try to take a photo of the issue to attach and then use or adapt the following template for your e-mail:

To: privatesectorhousing@runnymede.gov.uk; Community@rhul.ac.uk
Subject: Breach of HMO management regulations

I am writing to you about the condition of the garden to the [front] [rear] of the property at <address>.

As you can see from the attached photo, the ground is untidy and completely overgrown.

As an HMO, this property is subject to The Management of Houses in Multiple Occupation (England) Regulations 2006 and I believe that the manager of the property is in breach of section 7, (4) (b) as the garden belonging to the HMO has not been kept in a safe and tidy condition.

As the responsible housing authority, can you please write to me and confirm that you will contact the manager of the property and ensure that the breach of the management of HMO regulations is remedied straight away?

Kind regards,

<Your name>