York Jobs Fair Wednesday 26th September

Anyone looking for work or some support into training or employment is welcome at the York Jobs Fair on Wednesday 26 September.

From 10am to 2pm at the York Railway Institute (RI), Queen Street, over 70 employers and training providers including John Lewis, Hiscox, Gear4Music and the North Yorkshire Police are expected along with some 800 visitors.

Funded and organised by City of York Council in partnership with Job Centre Plus, this latest job fair brings together employers, employment support agencies, and education and training providers to offer local people job opportunities, information and advice

Cllr Keith Aspden, executive member for economic development and community engagement, said: “The fair is aimed at those looking for employment, people considering a change of job or career and those who would like to develop new skills and gain new qualifications.

“These events are always hugely popular, both with employers and prospective employees, so I’d encourage anyone who’s looking to further their career to go along.”

New licensing scheme for homes in multiple occupation

A new law to improve the heath and safety and management of houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) is coming into force on 1 October 2018. The council is offering landlords one-to-one sessions.

Landlords can call 01904 552300 Monday to Friday from 9am – 12noon to talk to officers about the new licensing requirements and how to apply.

Smaller properties must now be licensed as HMOs. All properties occupied by five or more people in two or more separate households will need licenses, irrespective of the number of storeys.

Alongside ongoing work with landlords, City of York Council has been developing a new online HMO application process to make it simpler and faster for landlords to apply for new licences and to renew existing ones. Visit www.york.gov.uk/HMOLicensing

The new law also requires that bedrooms must be a minimum size and have a maximum number of occupants to prevent overcrowding.

As the collective tenants of these properties can generate more waste than others, adequate storage space for waste must be included in a property.

Landlords are being given up to 18 months grace to comply with the new bedroom requirements and to address any overcrowding.

To manage these new licensing requirements and standards, the council is proposing a different approach to inspections.

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, civil penalty fines up to £30,000 can be imposed or unlimited fines if prosecuted

To register for regular updates about the new laws, including information about free presentations please visit www.york.gov.uk/HMOLicensing

The online application process for both new and existing licences for house in multiple occupation is now live at www.york.gov.uk/HMOLicensing