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Case ref:201004681
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Date:October 2011
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Body:Audit Scotland
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Sector:Scottish Government and Devolved Administration
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Outcome:Not upheld, no recommendations
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Subject:policy/administration
Summary
Mr C, a landlord holding a Housing in Multiple Ownership (HMO) licence, was aggrieved at the high level of licence fees imposed by a local authority which had allowed a considerable surplus to be built up and which had not been 'ring-fenced' for the purpose of HMO licensing.
He also complained about the actions of the local authority but we did not pursue that complaint. The council had introduced a system of banded fees from late September 2010. Mr C considered that Audit Scotland and the authority's external auditors should have picked up on the surplus accruing from 2008 and required the local authority to reimburse landlords who had paid exorbitant fees in earlier years.
Our investigation found no evidence of maladministration and we did not uphold the complaints.