The local media in Bristol are reporting that landlords in the city are complaining that they face backruptcy if a hugely expensive new licensing scheme is introduced by the council.
Last week we reported that the authority was introducing a five year licence on so-called ‘mini HMOs’ in 12 wards in the centre of the city. This would cost £885 for a licence, a fee which could nearly double for some landlords who do not take advantage of an early-bird offer.
The Bristol Post reports that landlords are organising to fight the proposals.
A spokesman for the Association of Local Landlords (Wessex) says: “Together with recent changes in tax legislation, higher tax threshold landlords with large portfolios now face bankruptcy. Irrespective as to whether the landlord is compliant or rogue ... licensing does not discriminate sufficiently between the two. The proposed licence fee cannot possibly be justified and suggests Bristol City Council is criminally inefficient and/or using the fees to illegally fund other council activities.”
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It's about time landlords start showing local authorities and governments the consequences of all of these revenue spinners.
Increase rents to absorb the costs within 10 months (that's an £86 rise per month), tell your tenants to complain to the council about their extortionate licensing fee.
Landlords are not charities and shouldn't be expected to absorb the cost of silly licenses just because a few landlords can't be trusted...
Better idea, force landlords to join a redress scheme where tenants can actually have a first line defence against their landlord who doesn't use an agent.
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