Gravesham Borough Council’s Private Sector Housing team has taken enforcement action against an unlicensed house in multiple occupation in Cross Lane East, Gravesend, citing management breaches linked mainly to fire safety.

Residents living near the Cross Lane East property could see improved fire safety and management standards as a result of the action — though tenants inside the property face potential disruption, ranging from required safety upgrades to possible changes in who can live there. Gravesham Borough Council posted publicly that unlicensed HMOs “will not be tolerated” in the borough.

An HMO — a house in multiple occupation — is a property shared by five or more people from more than one household who use common facilities such as a kitchen or bathroom. Under the Housing Act 2004, landlords running properties that meet this threshold in Gravesham must hold a licence. The council’s Private Sector Housing team found this property in Cross Lane East had no licence and identified management breaches, mainly around fire safety — things like fire detection systems, alarms, emergency lighting and written fire safety instructions for occupants.

The council argues enforcement is necessary to protect tenants from serious hazards and to level the playing field for landlords who do comply. Fire safety failings in an HMO can constitute a Category 1 hazard — the most serious category under the national Housing Health and Safety Rating System — which triggers a legal duty on the council to act. According to Gravesham Borough Council’s own enforcement policy, the council has a range of tools available, from improvement notices through to civil financial penalties and prosecution.

The financial stakes are real. In a comparable case at Parrock Street, Gravesend, Dartford County Court ordered landlord Lalli Sidhu and Gravesham Let & Management Ltd to pay a total of £34,375 — made up of a £17,500 fine for operating without a licence and £16,875 for management and safety failures, plus court costs.

What a licence actually costs

  • New HMO licence application: Part A fee £541.81, Part B fee £463.81
  • Renewal: Part A £464.98, Part B £444.93
  • Properties must have five or more occupants from more than one household sharing facilities to require a mandatory licence

Not everyone sees enforcement as straightforwardly positive. Some landlords and housing sector commentators argue that compliance costs — repeated inspections, safety upgrade works and the threat of heavy penalties — push up their overheads, which can feed through to higher rents. There are also concerns that if marginal HMOs close rather than upgrade, the supply of lower-cost shared housing shrinks, hitting lower-income tenants hardest. Landlords near the licensing threshold sometimes argue the rules are complex and that inadvertent non-compliance risks penalties that feel disproportionate.

Housing and fire safety professionals generally back targeted enforcement where serious hazards are found, but tend to stress that clear guidance and proactive engagement with landlords works better than a purely punitive approach. Gravesham currently runs only mandatory HMO licensing — it does not operate additional or selective licensing schemes — meaning only properties hitting the national five-person threshold need a licence.

It’s worth being clear about one thing: the council’s HMO public register lists a licensed property at 61 Cross Lane East — licence reference 21/01206/HMO, authorised for up to eight occupants, valid from 11 October 2021 to 10 October 2026 — but it has not been verified whether this is the same property referred to in the council’s announcement.

Key information

  • Landlords who think their property may meet the HMO threshold should check Gravesham Borough Council’s HMO Licensing Guide and apply for a licence before letting to five or more people from separate households
  • Residents with concerns about a suspected unlicensed HMO or poor conditions in a shared property can contact Gravesham Borough Council’s Private Sector Housing team directly
  • The council can issue civil penalties or pursue prosecution for operating an unlicensed HMO — the Parrock Street case shows penalties can exceed £34,000

The council has not confirmed what specific enforcement outcome has been reached at the Cross Lane East property; the next step will depend on whether the landlord applies for a licence, makes the required safety improvements, or faces further formal action.