It is important to repeal this stupid legislation as landlords cannot micromanage properties as the law requires, councils cannot audit it as the law requires and landlords are put in an untenable position where they are possibly breaking the law without even knowing it. Consider this, two people renting a three bed house from me move in a friend to help pay the rent, I the landlord am now breaking the law!
I won't ever be told by the tenant. Of course if I do find out, I can always evict them, I will still be breaking the law while I do so though!
I have four bed houses occupied by one group of friends, when they move out I cannot let to the same party again unless the house is set out as an HMO!
I cannot see what purpose the law serves, other than to overprovide ceratinty that there isn't overcrowding in residential properties. In most cases of overcrowding, however, it is at the expense of the landlord and is usually driven by the tenants looking to cheapen the costs! The landlord is rarely the cause, so why oblige him to take out costly and expensive planning permission, for an event he will play no part in?