Another local authority has announced that it wants to introduce another selective licensing scheme and designate its entire patch for HMO licensing.
This time it’s Waltham Forest which has applied to the government for consent to make the changes which would take effect on April 1 2020.
The council claims its decision follows on from “extensive consultation with residents, stakeholders, private sector tenants, landlords and lettings agencies” on proposals for selective licensing covering 18 of the borough’s wards, and a borough-wide HMO licensing designation.
Overall, almost 60 per cent of respondents agreed with the council’s proposal to introduce the additional licensing for Houses in Multiple Occupation across the borough to regulate property conditions.
Since earlier, less restrictive licensing came into effect in 2015 the council says it has issued over 100 Civil Penalties and over 40 interim management orders.
It claims to have “improved 3,000 privately rented properties” and pursued 94 successful prosecutions, resulting in more than £300,000 in court-imposed fines.
A council spokeswoman says: “We have been at the forefront of protecting our residents living in the private rented sector by using our licensing scheme to effectively drive up standards. Licensing has the wide spread backing of key stakeholders who have seen first hand the difference it can make to the lives of residents.”
“While we have made tremendous progress in the last few years, there is still more work to do. With more of our residents now renting privately, it is so vitally important that we have the powers to tackle non-compliant landlords, who pay no regard to the rules and exploit vulnerable tenants by letting out overcrowded, unsuitable and dangerous properties.
“It would be entirely wrong and a backward step for private renters rights if government was to deny us the right to continue with this effective scheme which tackles criminal landlords and protects vulnerable individuals and families within the private rented sector.”
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Parasites
So a live-in LL with a wife and two lodgers would now have to obtain a licence!
Response
Get rid of one of the lodgers!!
Result...,........,. increasing homelessness!!!
"Improving standards" ,whilst admittidly there are some shocking landlords out there ( and local authorities come into that bracket ) the majority are honest and decent these improvements costs money the more the landlord is squeezed for aditional funds , no tenant fees increased agent costs no tax releaf the less they will have to improve their properties ......!!
...well of course.... its a money spinner for them.... and despite the lies/excuses it's money for nothing while we're all sitting ducks and easy pickings.
"No Brainer" - duh!
If that is the case, i am sure they have no qualm about putting the actual numbers of residents in the whole area, the number of landlords responding or consulted, ensuring all figures are true and also the actual numbers with evidence open to the public as to vulnerable tenats, IN overcrowded house, unsuitable and DANGEROUS housing. Please put the numbers of properties that are let, numbers that is overcrowded, numbers of prs that is dangerous and note the overlap, in relation to the number of prs in the area and we can analyse how effective their work has been and how much is it needed for extra licencing to catch the minority of these dangerous overcrowded housing comparing with the unnecessariy licence on top of the powers the council already have to deal with these issues and to catch them without licencing powers. Its only words, and words are all they have unless they can prove with hard facts and evidence
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